


More Than Friends

by Hunter_Outlaw26



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America-The First Avenger - Freeform, Captain America: Civil War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, F/M, Fem!Steve, Genderswap, Implied-Stony, Love, Romance, Stucky - Freeform, The Avengers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-20 08:31:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 42,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8242943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hunter_Outlaw26/pseuds/Hunter_Outlaw26
Summary: Stephanie "Stevie" Rogers wanted to fight for her country but no one would believe in her. She was too small, too sickly, and altogether too female. But one person supported her, her best friend. James Buchanan Barnes or Bucky as she called him wanted her to feel special. But she wanted to be more than friends and perhaps with this one chance she could show him.





	1. Nothing to Prove

I was nervous as I sat there in my slip around dozens of men. I, Stephanie Grace Rogers better known as Stevie am enlisting in the United States Armed Forces.

"A lot of people dying over there." I heard a man say near me. "Pretty Scary huh?" But I wasn't scared. I was so small that the Nazis couldn't touch me.

"Rogers." I heard the doctor call. I stood up and if it weren't for the radio playing in the background it would've been dead silent. I walked towards the Physician. "What did your father die of?" He asked.

"Mustard gas, he was in the hundred and seventh infantry. I was hoping..." I trailed off.

"Your mother?"

"She was a nurse in a TB ward, got hit, couldn't shake it."

"Sorry Ma'am." My eyes widened.

"Look just give me a chance." I begged.

"There aren't many women being accepted into the army let alone with your health issues." He explained.

"Is there anything you can do?"

"I'm doing it, I'm saving your life." He stamped my papers and I after getting dressed I left shamed. I went to the movies to make me feel better that was until some jerk was interrupting the news reel. Naturally I said something and he dragged me out to the alleyway.

"I don't normally beat up girls but for you I'll make an exception Rogers." He sneered. I wouldn't back down.

"Good I could do this all day." I gasped and he punched me to the ground. When I opened my eyes again to see Bucky Barnes my best friend since childhood.

"You know sometimes you like getting beat up Stevie."He said and I smiled as he pulled me up.

"I had him on the ropes." I replied gasping before taking a puff on my inhaler. I finally noticed Bucky's Uniform. "You got your orders didn't you?" I asked sadly.

"The one-O-seventh, Sergeant James Barnes shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

"I should be going with you."

"Come on Stevie! It's my last night gotta get you cleaned up."

"Why? Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to the future. He dragged me home to our small apartment and threw a red dress at me. Bucky's Sister Rebecca was meeting us there. We took a cab down to the World's Fair. Howard Stark was giving a presentation. While we watched I saw the enlistment booth. I snuck away from Bucky and Rebecca. I had to do something or he would never see me as anything but a little girl. "You're really going to do this again?" Bucky caught me.

"It's a fair, I'm going to test my luck." I replied.

"As who? Stephanie from Ohio? They'll catch you or worse they'll take you."

"Look I know you think I'm this little girl Buck-"

"This isn't a back alley Stevie this is war!"

"Bucky I know that! There are already women fighting out there and I got no right to do less then them. I can't sit here manufacturing plane parts wondering if my best friend is dead. This isn't about me and you wouldn't understand."

"Right cause you have nothing to prove." He sighed giving in. "Just don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." I replied.

"Punk." He said kissing my forehead.

"Jerk. Be Careful" I said as he began to walk away. "Don't win the war until I get there!" I called out and headed towards the Exam room.


	2. A Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stevie Is waiting for her chance, will it finally happen?

I waited in that room for what seemed like forever and then the doctor walked in.

"So Miss Rogers you want to go overseas? Kill some Nazis." He said.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Where are you from ? Hmm? Is it New Haven? Or Paramus?" Five different exams in five different cities."

"That might not be the right file." I replied anxiously.

"No it's not the exams I'm interested in. It's the five tries. But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?"

"Is this a test?" I asked confused.

"Yes." He replied.

"I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies no matter where their from. There are already so many men fighting perhaps what we need is a little woman." He grinned.

"I can offer you a chance. Only a chance."

"I'll take it." I said without hesitation.

"Good, so where is the little lady from?"

"Brooklyn."

"Congratulations soldier." He said stamping my file. I was finally going to do it. The next day I went to camp. There were three other women there that I roomed with. There was Agent Carter a representative from the Strategic Science Reserve, Connie the nurse in the infirmary, and Andrea one of the cooks in mess. I didn't get much respect but I didn't care. Agent Carter scared them enough for all of the girls here. Colonel Phillips was not as enthusiastic.

"General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons but they are won with men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men." He faltered when he looked at me. "And because they are going to get better. Much better. The Strategic Science Reserve is an allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world. Our goal is to create the best army in history but every army starts with one-soldier. At the end of this week we will choose that person. They will be the first in a new breed of super soldiers. And tehy will personally lead Adolf Hitler to the gates of hell." He said. That week I trained harder then anyone else. I ended up exhausted each night and then Colonel Phillips told me I was going to be the super soldier. The before the procedure I couldn't sleep. I sat in the empty barracks. Dr. Erskine came in carrying a bottle of Schnapps and two glasses.

"Can't sleep?" He asked.

"Something like that. Can I ask you a question?" I replied.

"Just one?" He replied.

"Why me? Why a woman out of all those worthy men?"

"I suppose that's the only one that matters. This is from Ausburg, my city. So many people forget that the first country the Nazi's invaded was their own."I was interested in his story and nodded wanted him to go on. "You know, after the last war the...my people struggled. They...they felt weak. They felt small. And then Hitler comes along with the marching and the big show and the flags and the...and the rah! Rah! And he...he hears of me, my work and he finds me. And he says, you...he says you will us strong. Well, I am not interested. So he sends the head of Hydra, his research division. A brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt. Now, Schmidt is a member of the inner circle and he's ambitious. He and Hitler share a passion for a cult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers. But for Schmidt it is not fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power in the earth, left there by the Gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man."

"Did it make him stronger?" I asked.

"Yes but there were other effects. The serum was not ready, but more importantly the man recieving the serum. The serum amplifies everything that is inside. So good becomes great, bad becomes worse.. This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But someone who knows the value of strength and knows compassion. I saw that with your friend at the fair." I smiled.

"Thanks, I think. I just wish he felt the way I do." seemed to look at mewith a sad smile.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good woman." He poured us two glasses of schnapps.

"To the little guys."We toasted but my glass was taken from me before I could drink.

"No, no what am I doing? No you have procedure tomorrow no fluids." He said.

"Alright we'll drink it after."

"No! I don't have procedure tomorrow. Drink it after! Drink it now!" He drank his shot and left. I was nervous but fell asleep soon after he left. I was nervous for tomorrow but I would keep my promise no matter what.


	3. Success and Yet Defeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stevie goes through the serum procedure.

I was given my uniform and was dressed. Peggy and I quickly left for New York.

"I know this neighborhood." I observed. "I was beat up in that alley, and in that parking lot, and behind that diner."

"The men here like to beat up women?" She asked.

"They never let me run and I never let them let me go. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm defenseless."

"I know a little of what that's like. To have every door shut in your face due to your gender."

"It's hard to be a woman in the army. Men aren't exactly lining up to take orders and wight with someone they'll step on."

"Then clearly you haven't met the right man."

"I have but I'll never be anything but a fragile doll to him."Peggy put a hand on my shoulder. She was a good friend.

"He will see you for who you are Stephanie." She said. We walked intot eh the antique store which held an underground SSR laboratory. I was asked to remove my shirt, hat, and tie. I changed into a baggy shirt and shorts. Erskine took a microphone, ready to address the spectators.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of micro injections into the subjects major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with vita rays." He said as I was stuck with a needle waiting in my pod.

"That wasn't so bad." I sighed.

"That was Penicillin." The capsule doors closed. "Stephanie, can you hear me?"

"It's probably too late to go to the bathroom right?" I joked and suddenly I felt the changes. The serum wasn't bad but the act of muscle growing in places where the was none hurt. I screamed.

"Stephanie!" shouted.

"Shut it down!"Peggy cried.

"Kill the reactor, ! Kill the reactor!" No they couldn't do this, it was my last chance.

"No! Dont! I can do this!" I shouted adn suddenly the pain stopped. The pod lowered and opened. I looked down to see I had filled out. I was sickly no longer and I could breathe clearly.

"How do you feel?" Peggy asked helping me out of the pod.

"Taller, healthier too I guess. I replied and suddenly there was an explosion. One of the spectators shot at . "No!" I shouted running towards him. Dying, lying on the clood steel floor he pointed to my heart. I chased after the man, he drove towards Pier and I ran towards him riping the taxi door off to use as a shield. He took a boy hostage and distracted me before escaping throwing the boy into the bay.

"Go get him! I can swim!" The little boy said. I dove into the water pulling him from the ship.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked angry. He tok a tablet from his tooth.

"The first of many, cut off one head two more shall take it's place! Heil HYDRA!" He gasped taking his last struggling breath. I was taken back to the lab and was having blood drawn.

"I think you got enough." I growled. The nurse left leaving me with Peggy.

"Any hope of reproducing a programme is locked in your genetic code. But without Dr. Erskine it will take years." She said.

"He deserved more than this."

"If it could only work once, he'd be proud it was you." I smiled as we joined the colonel and Senator Brandt in the lab.

"Sir, if you'r going after schmidt I want in." I said.

"You're an experiment Rogers, you're going to Alamagordo." He replied and I grew angry.

"The serum worked."

"I asked for an army sweetheart, and all I got was you. You are not enough." I was defeated all I was to him was a genetically modified dame.

"Miss Rogers, the Colonel is wrong. The country has seen you in action. Do you want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?" Senator BRandt asked.

"Sir, that's all I want." Little did I know he meant selling bonds. I mean it worked. States idolized me and little girls idolized me. 'I want to be like you Captain America' they would say. And soon enough I was at the lines in Italy. But I did want more than this. I needed more than tights.


	4. Rescue Mission

My show for the men didn't exactly go well. I sat backstage as the rain poured down on the camp. I noticed Peggy and waved her over.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Officially I'm not here at all, that was quite the performance." She replied.

"I had to improvise the audience I'm used to is more uh... twelve."

"And these are your only options a lab rat or a dancing monkey? You were meant for more than this you know."

"I know and for the longest time I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines, serving my country. I've finally got everything I wanted, and I'm wearing tights Peg."She gave me a hug. I saw a truck coming in with injured men as we broke apart. "Where are they coming from? They look like they've been through hell."

"Some of them have. Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him, less than fifty returned. Your audience was what remains of the hundred and seventh." This alarmed me.

"The hundred and seventh?" I asked and stood up abruptly running for Colonel Phillips tent. Bucky could be dead and I needed to know. "Colonel Phillips!" I shouted.

"Well, if it isn't America's Sweetheart! What can I do for you Rogers?"He growled.

"I need the casualty list for Rosano."

"You don't get to give me orders, son."

"I just need one name. Sergeant James Barnes from the hundred and seventh. Please Sir."

"You and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won't enjoy." He said looking at Peggy.

"Please tell me if he's alive, sir. B-A-R..." I was cut off.

"I can spell. I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry." My face fell I couldn't accept that.

"What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?"I asked.

"Yeah! It's called winning the war." He replied sarcastically.

"But if you know where they are, why not at least...?"

"They're thirty miles behind the lines. Through the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. But I don't expect you to understand that, because you're a chorus girl." This angered me. Peg was right I was meant for more.

"I think I understand just fine."I replied.

"Well then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got some place to be in thirty minutes."

"Yes sir, I do." I knew what I had to do. I would go after Bucky myself. He wasn't dead and I knew it. I took a helmet from one of the chorus girls, my shield and my leather jacket taking one of the army vehicles.

"You're just going to walk to Austria?" Peggy asked coming after me.

"If that's what it takes." I replied.

"You heard the colonel your friend is most likely dead."

"You don't know that!" I cried out.

"Even so, he's devising a strategy."

"By the time he's done that it'll be too late! This is the man I love Peg. I can't just believe that he's dead. And I can't let him die is he isn't dead already."

"Then let me help you." She led me to Howard. We took a plane and flew towards the lines.

"You two are going to be in a lot of trouble." I said.

"And you won't?" She replied.

"Where I'm going I can just shoot anyone in my way.""

"They will undoubtdly shoot back my friend." She replied Stark seemed to flirt with her. "Stark's the best civilian pilot I've ever seen . He's mad eenough to brave this airspace, we're lucky to have him." The plane suddenly came under fire. I ran towards the door. "You have to let us get you closer!" Peggy shouted.

"No as soon as I'm out you turn this bird around." I ordered.

"You can't order me!"

"The hell I can't I'm a captain!"I jumped out of the place safely landing in the forest near the base. I snuck towards knocking outthe guards in my way. I made it to the prison cells.

"Who the hell are you sweetheart." ONe of the men asked.

"One, don't call me sweetheart, and two I'm captain america." I jumped down knocking out a HYDRA soldier and taking the cell keys. "Get out fast and give them hell. Have you seen a Sergeant Barnes?"I asked as we walked through releasing more soldiers.

"There's an isolation ward, most don't return." An englishman said.

Thank you." I said and ran down the hall. I saw a smaller man leaving a room before hearing groaning. It was Bucky and he was strapped to a table. "Bucky it's me Stevie." I said unstrapping him.

"Stevie?" He asked as I helped him up.

"Come on."

"Stevie."

"I thought you were dead." I said a tear escaping my eye.

"I thought you were smaller. What happened to you Stevie?" He asked as we walked.

"I joined the army."

"Did it hurt?"

"A little."

"Is it permanent?"

"So far." That was when we ran into Schmidt amongst explosions."

"Captain America! How charming! I'm a great fan of your films! So managed it after all. Not exactly an imrpovement, but impressive." He said and I punched him.

"You got no idea!"I growled.

"Haven't I?" He tried to hit me but I blocked with my shield. "No matter what lies Erskine told you I was his greatest success!" He peeled back his face to reveral a ggross red skull.

"You haven't got one of those do you?" I heard Bucky ask.

"You're deluded, captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier but in reality you are still a little girl afraid to leave humanity behind. Unlike you I embrace it proudly without fear!"

"Then why are you running?" He ran out, the place was goin gup in smoke. Bucky wouldn't leave without me. I jumped getting us out in time. We headed back towards camp. Colonel phillips wouldn't discipline me. Bucky was the real ringleader though.

"Hey!" He shouted out. "Let's hear it for Captain America!" He shouted and the soldiers cheered. It seemed as though I was a hero after all. I looked at Bucky, now if only I could tell him how I felt.


	5. Always Have

I grew nervous. Peggy and I were joining the others at the pub. The guys agreed to be my team and were celebrating. Right now, Peggy and I were trying to find me a dress.

"Peggy, what if he doesn't feel the way I do?" I asked.

"From what I've heard Stevie, I'm pretty sure Barnes already does. Try this one on." She replied handing me a burgundy dress covered in black polka dots. I slipped it on and looked into the mirror.

"Oh my gosh, for the first time in my life I feel beautiful." She had pinned back my hair with a jeweled clip and my lips were painted a bright red.

"Now shall we go?" She asked and I smiled. We took a cab down to the pub. I walked in before Peggy and everyone stared. A deep red blush grew on my face but calmed down once I found Bucky.

"Stevie? You look beautiful doll." He said and I blushed.

"Thanks but can I talk to you in private?"I asked and he nodded. We went into the backroom.

"What's wrong Stevie?" He asked.

"Bucky I've been wracking my brain on how to tell you this and being afraid of what you might say." I began.

"Stephanie, what's wrong? What do you want to say?"

"I love you Buck, more than a friend. I thought you wouldn't feel the same. I thought you'd only ever see me as a little girl, but I'm not and I lo-" I was cut off by Bucky's lips on mine. MY eyes widened and soon enough I was kissing back.

"You crazy girl. I've felt the same way. I was going to tell you but then you ran to that enlistment booth and now look at you. I love you no matter who you are or what you look like. So Stephanie Grace Rogers, will you dance with me?" He asked and I smiled.

"On one condition." I said and he frowned.

"What?" He asked.

"Don't call me Stephanie again." He smiled and we danced. It was one of the greatest nights on my life. The next day I had to go down and see Howard. I slipped on my uniform and walked down to the lab.

"I'm here to see ?" I asked his receptionist.

"Go on in." She said and I nodded. Howard already had some things laid out for me.

"Welcome Stevie, I've been working on some things to make sure you and your men don't get killed. " He said handing me a fabric. "Carbon alloy, It'll protect you against the standard German bayonet but I don't think HYDRA will be using those, also." He pointed to my shield. "I hear you're kind of attached?" He asked.

"It's handier than you might think." I pointed out.

"I took the liberty of coming up with a few options." He said showing me the shields but only one caught my eye.

"What about this one?" I asked picking a circular silver shield.

"No, that's just a prototype." He said.

"What's it made of?"

"Vibranium. It's stronger than steel and a third of the weight. It's completely vibration absorbent."

"How come it's not standard issue?"

"That's the rarest metal on earth. What you're holding there? That's all we got."

"And I've got some ideas for the uniform."

"Anything for you doll." I went back to the planning room. We had mapped out the known HYDRA bases. My team and I including Bucky would stop these Nazis and avenge Dr. Erskine by winning the war.


	6. No!

After that night the Howling Commandos were formed. We went after the known HYDRA bases but I was afraid that I would lose Bucky. then the big mission came. We tracked Zola to a train heading to their secret base in the alps. Gabe was intercepting the frequency.

"You were right Zola's on that train."HE said and we looked down.

"Stevie, remember that time I made you ride the cyclone at Coney Island?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah and I threw up?"I replied.

"This isn't payback is it?" I smiled and kissed him.

"Of course not, just promise me you'll be careful, I don't know what I'd do if I-" He cut me off.

"Always doll but in case I don't I want you to take these." Bucky placed his dog tags around my neck. I nodded accepting them.

"Alright men we've only got a ten second window. You miss that window we're bugs on a windshield." I called out.

"Mind the gap." Falsworth replied and we ziplined down to the train. It was easy to get inside almost too easy. Suddenl we were affronted by HYDRA men. Bucky and I had been forced apart by a mechanical door.

"Bucky!" I cried out. As he fought the man I got the door open with my shield. Bucky distracted him and I shot him down.

"I had him on the ropes."Bucky said dusting himself off.

"I know you did." I replied but then suddenly boom! The side of the train was blasted open and Bucky went with it. "Bucky!" I looked out to see him barely holding on. "Bucky hold on!" I climbed out desperately trying to reach him, but the railing gave way and came loose taking Bucky with it. "NO!" I cried out as I watched him fall. As I climbed back into the train I cried, I sobbed for the first time since Erskine died. I hadn't even noticed my fellow commandos come into the car.

"Cap what happened?" Tim Dugan asked helping me up.

"Barnes is dead. I tried to get to him but it was too late." I sobbed into his shoulder. The men comforted me. We had captured Zola but at the cost of the man I loved. We returned to london to see it bombed. The old pub was destroyed. I sat at a lone surviving table with a bottle of scotch that survived too. I kept drinking but nothing happened. I saw Peggy walk in out of the corner of my eye. Dr. Erskine said that the serum wouldn't just effect my muscles, it would effect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means um...I can't get drunk. Did you know that?" I asked sniffling.

"Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person. He thought it could be one of the side effects." She sat down next to me and took my hand. "It wasn't your fault."

"Did you read the reports?"

"Yes."

" Then you know that's not true. It's my fault Peg. I lose everyone I love." I said tears dripping down my face. "First my father, then my mother, and now him."

"You did everything you could. Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?" She asked.

"Of course I did." I replied.

"Then stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He loved you Stevie."

"I'm goin' after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop till all of Hydra is dead or captured." I stood up stronger than ever. "Are you with me Peg?"

"Always my friend." She replied and we headed to the war room.

"Johann Schmidt belongs in a bug house. He thinks he's a God. He's willing to blow half the world prove it, starting with the U.S.A."Colonel Phillips said as we were deciding how to storm the base.

"Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he will wipe out the entire eastern sea board in an hour." Howard said. I had nothing left to lose so I didn't care. I would stop him for what he's done to me.

"How much time we got?" Gabe asked.

"According to my new best friend, twenty four hours. Hydra's last base is here. In the Alps. Five hundred feet below the surface."Phillips replied.

"So, what are we supposed to do. I mean, it's not like we can just knock on the front door."Morita asked but couldn't we?

"Why not? That's exactly what we're gonna do." I said and ran off to start prepping. I noticed Tim and the guys behind me.

"We're all with you cap but first we have something for you." Tim said and handed me a picture frame. It was a picture of Bucky and I when I was still small in that awful red dress from the world's fair. "Sarg had this with him wherever he went made sure you were always with him. We thought you'd want to have it."I smiled and hugged my friends still feeling a bit small.

"No matter what happens tomorrow I am so grateful to have you as my team." I said and they all smiled.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	7. Showdown

I was ready. I was going to give myself to Schmidt but it would give the cover for everyone else to get in. I had nothing else to lose so why not? Riding down with my motorcycle soldiers started to charge at me. I fought them until they surrounded me and I dropped my shield. The soldiers dragged me to Schmidt.

"Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait, but I must say you do it better than anyone. But there are limits to what even you can do, Captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?"He asked me.

"He told me you were insane." I replied.

"Ah. He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine. But he gave you everything. So, what made you so special?" I smirked.

"Nothin'. I'm just a girl from Brooklyn." I smiled and he slapped my face before punching me in the stomach. "I can do this all day."

"Oh, of course you can. Of course. But unfortunately I am on a tight schedule."He went to grab his gun when I saw the boys ziplining in.

"So am I!" I shouted and the commandos crashed in fighting all the guards. I was headed for the door when Falsworth called to me.

"Cap!" He said. "You might need this!" He tossed me my shield.

"Thanks!" I said and ran out the door going after Schmidt. He was getting in his plane and I had to catch him.

"Need a ride?"It was Colonel Phillips in Schmidt's car.

"Yes please!" I replied and jumped in. They kept speeding.

"Be careful up there!" Peggy said.

"Always my friend." I replied and jumped on the plane once we were able to catch it. Climbing in I noticed the bombs each marked with a major city. He was going to wipe out America dn I couldn't let him do that. I dispatched a few guards before finally getting up to the cockpit. I began to fight with Schmidt and he was not going down easy.

"You could have the power of the gods! Yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations! I have seen the future, Captain! There are no flags!"He growled and I hit im with my shield.

"Not my future!" I replied. He bumped into the cube and suddenly he was gone along with it. This bird was going down but I had no way to stop it unless... No it sounded crazy but it was my only option. I turned on the radio. "SSR this is Captain Rogers, I repeat SSR this si Captain Stevie Rogers!"

"Stevie, is that you? Are you alright?" It was Peggy on the other end.

"Peggy! Schmidt's dead."

"What about the plane?"

"That's a little bit tougher to explain."

"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you a safe landing site."

"There's not going to be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down."

"I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do." She was crying I could tell.

"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York. I gotta put her in the water Peg.

"Please, don't do this. We have time. We can work it out." I hated that I was hurting my friend but it was for the greater good.

"Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy, this is my choice. I don't have anything left here anyway. I'll be with Bucky again." I was scared. "Peggy?"

"I'm here."She replied.

"I'm gonna need a rain check on that girl's day we planned."

"Alright. A week, next Saturday, we'll go shopping at Tiffany's in manhattan."

"You got it. I'll be your doll." This made her laugh.

Eight o'clock AM on the dot. Don't you dare be late! Understood?"

"You know, I know nothing about fashion, I've dressed like a boy since I was twelve."

"I'll show you how to dress. Just be there."

"We'll get a clerk to help me out..." The connection cut off. Looking at the frozen tundra below me I knew there was nothing left. Looking at Bucky's dog tags and that picture of us I closed my eyes and waited for impact and darkness embraced me.


	8. Here and Now

When I woke up I felt weird different. I wasn't dead though, at least I don't think that I was. A baseball game was playing on the radio but it was one I had seen before. I went to this game with Bucky. I had even more doubts when a strange looking woman came into the room.

"Good morning. Or should I say, afternoon."She said with a smile.

"Where am I?"I asked.

"You're in a recovery room in New York city."She seemed almost panicked.

"Where am I really?" I growled.

"I'm afraid I don't understand." She seemed scared now.

"The game, it's from May, nineteen forty one. I know, cause I was there with Bucky." I stood up with all my strength returned to me. "Now, I'm gonna ask you again. Where am I?"

"Captain Rogers?"She asked again as two soldiers entered the room.

"Who are you?" I shouted and punched out the two soldiers running out of the room as fast as I could.

"Captain Rogers, wait!" She cried out but I wasn't waiting. I was done waiting. I was in New York that was true apparently in some place called SHIELD I ended up in what I think was times square but it was very different. Black cars surrounded me as a man with an eyepatch stepped out of one.

"At ease soldier! Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there. But we thought it best to break it to you slowly."He said.

"Break what?" I asked I was done with people dodging my questions.

"You've been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years." HE replied WHAT? How did I even survive the crash? "Are you gonna be okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. Yeah. I just need some time."

"We understand, listen we've got your old apartment in Brooklyn set up for you why don't you go home get settled try to figure out some of your new technology and we'll call you with more information." He said handing me a pair of keys.

"Okay. I guess but I- I need a ride." I siad and he nodded. The ride to Brooklyn was calm but I was so confused that my head hurt. I didn't understand how I could've survived. I remembered the gripping cold and the ice but after that it was all darkness. WE arrived at the apartment and I went inside. It wasn't changed much except for some new kitchen appliances that I knew would take me awhile to figure and a screen on my wall which I assumed to be a television, but what really caught my eye was that someone had left me the files of all my commandos. I began to look through them.

TIMOTHY 'DUM DUM' DUGAN - DECEASED

GABE MORITA - DECEASED

FALSWORTH - DECEASED

I couldn't bear it and went to some others Howard Stark was dead but his Son Anthony apparently had a run in or two with SHIELD according to the files I was given. Peggy was retired she was the only one still alive after all these years and I know it would hurt to see her but I would eventually. I even noticed that on my nightstand Fury had put the picture of Bucky and I and his dog tags but I knew tonight and for the next few nights I wouldn't be able to sleep. Memories would be coming to me and so most nights I went to the gym and Boxed. Little did I know I was about to be thrown into another world saving mission.


	9. A New Mission

As the days went by I noticed more an more that I couldn't sleep. The pills I was given by SHIELD helped but only a little making me wake up at three or four in the morning. I had taken to going to the gym at night it took the edge off everything but as I worked a punching bag more and more flashes of my memories came to me.

Me telling Peggy about the jet

I have to put her in the water.

Peggy comforting me.

You're not alone.

Bucky's Death

Bucky No!

And finally the SHIELD scientists realizing I was alive in that ice.

Oh my god this girl's still alive!

Coming out of my trance I noticed that I had broken the bag from the chain. Walking over I grabbed another one.

"Trouble sleeping?" I turned around to see Nick Fury.

"I slept for seventy years, sir." I replied. "I think I've had my fill." I kept on punching the fresh bag.

"Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world." This made me stop. I took the boxer's tape off my hands.

I went under, the world was at war, I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost." It was hard I didn't have anyone here. I lost everyone I loved.

"We've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently." He picked up a file.

"You here with a mission, sir?"I asked.

"I am."

"Trying to get me back in the world?"

"Trying to save it." Opening the folder I saw a picture of the cube. The thing I had lost everything for.

"Hydra's secret weapon." I growled.

"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought what we think, the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs." He explained. Howards should have left it behind.

"Who took it from you?" I asked and A picture of a man was on the next page he looked like Loki the Norse god of mischief. I only knew because when I was small I took to reading books and Bucky always got me ones about Mythology.

"He's called Loki. He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know." Nick said.

"At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me." I laughed my first real laugh in days.

"Ten bucks says you're wrong. There's a debriefing package waiting for you back at your apartment." I nodded grabbing a spare punching bag and leaving.

"Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?"He asked as I walked away.

"Howard should've left it in the arctic." I said and slammed the door behind me. I wanted nothing to do with SHIELD but how could I let the world be in danger? It hurt me in my heart. I knew what I had to do and I would do it. Besides a new mission would be good for me.

The next morning I was taken to a jet by one agent Phil Coulson who seemed very quiet as I read through the files. Bruce Banner had caught my eye. He had become a green monster when he got angry because of his attempt to recreate the serum. When I voiced my concern Phil help me change that perspective.

"A lot of people were. You were the world's first superhero. Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine's original formula."He explained.

"Didn't really go his way, did it?" I asked.

"Not so much. When he's not that thing though, guy's like a Stephen Hawking." I didn't quite understand. "He's like a smart person. I gotta say, it's an honor to meet you, officially." I smiled I was very honored.

"I sort of met you, I mean, I watched you while you were sleeping." Slightly awkward but I didn't mind. He was a fan. I'm sure he didn't mean it that way. "I mean, I was... I was present while you were unconscious from the ice. You know, it's really, it's just a... just a huge honor to have you on board."

"I'm honored that someone was watching over me." He smiled and blushed. "And, I hope I'm the woman for the job."

"Oh, you are. Absolutely. Uh we've made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input." Really? They still had me in the flag.

"The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little... old fashioned?" I asked.

"With everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old fashioned." Perhaps he was right. As we landed on the base I was awestruck. Toto I am definitely not in kansas anymore.


	10. Stuttgart

The Helicarrier was amazing for what little I'd seen of it. I'd already been introduced to Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff known as the hulk and black widow respectively. Right now after giving Nick his ten dollars as he was right. But now as I waited for some semblance of news Phil was telling me about his trading cards. I was touched that he was a collector and indeed wanted to sign them.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble." He asked.

"No, no. It's fine. I'd love too it's not often I meet a collector." I replied making him very happy.

"It's a vintage set. It took me a couple of years to collect them all. Near mint, slight foxing around the edges, but..."He was cut off by an agent finding Loki's coordinates.

"We got a hit. Sixty-seven percent match. Weight, cross match, seventy-nine percent."The agent said.

"Location?"Phil asked.

"Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding."

"Captain, you're up." Fury said and I nodded leaving to go to my room where my new uniform was waiting for me. One thing hadn't changed and that was my shield. It felt right to have it in my hands again. Suiting up I headed for the jet where agent Romanoff was waiting.

"Looking good Rogers." She smirked.

"I just hope that I'm the girl for this." I replied. Getting closer to the location I was dropped from the plane blocking an old man from a laser from Loki's scepter. No one was dying today. "You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing." I growled helping the old man up.

"Thank you." He rasped and I nodded as Loki kept speaking.

"The soldier. A woman out of time." Loki snarled but I could take him.

"I'm not the one who's out of time." I replied as Natasha flew down with the jet pointing her guns at him.

"Loki, we have you surrounded drop the weapon and stand down." She said over the comm. He wasn't going down without a fight. We began to tussle and I used my knowledge of boxing to my best ability. I tried to hit him but he pinned me down.

"Kneel." He commanded to me but I would never kneel to such a tyrant.

"Not today!"I growled and knocked him back. I was terribly outgunned as a rock song came up over Natasha's speakers. The Iron Man, Howard's son flew down shooting Loki and knocking him over.

"Make your move Reindeer Games." He said and Loki surrendered. This seemed way too easy. "Good move."

"Stark." I said acknowledging him.

"Captain, a pleasure to meet a matured woman like yourself."He said most likely flirting and referring to my age at the same time. We got into the jet. Something still didn't feel right.

"I don't like it." I told Tony.

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"He asked

"I don't remember it being ever that easy. This guy packs a wallop."

"Still, you are pretty spry, for an older gal. What's your thing sweetheart? Yoga?"I was getting tired of his comments but had heard of yoga it was something the therapist from SHIELD suggested I do to relieve my stress.

"Yes actually It relieves the stress from being frozen for seventy years."

"I would imagine you'd be stressed. You might have missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle." Tony was cocky like Bucky if I wasn't still in love with Bucky I would take a chance but I couldn't and I wouldn't.

"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in." I replied.

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you doll." Thunder and lightning roared around us and Loki seemed tense.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" I smirked.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows." He replied and suddenly something landed on the jet. Scratch that someone as the back door opened a man walked in and grabbed Loki before jumping out.

"Now there's that guy." Tony growled putting his helmet on.

"Another Asgardian?"Natasha asked.

"Think the guy's a friendly?"I asked.

"Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost." Tony said getting ready to also jump from the jet.

"Stark, we need a plan of attack!"I shouted among the rain and wind.

"I have a plan. Attack." He said and jumped out. I had to go after them. I quickly put on a parachute.

"I'd sit this one out, Cap." Natasha told me.

"I don't see how I can." I replied.

"These guys come from legends, they're basically gods."

"You think I don't know that?" I said and jumped out meeting the god and Tony. I quickly threw my shield to diffuse the situation. "Hey! That's enough!" I said jumping off of the fallen tree. "Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here."

"I've come here to put an end to Loki's schemes!"The strange man shouted.

"Then prove it! Put the hammer down." I growled. I had nothing to lose and this guy was going to ruin everything.

"Um, yeah, no! Bad call! He loves his hammer!"Tony shouted and I was shocked as the god smacked Tony with the hammer knocking him back.

"You want me to put the hammer down?"He shouted and ran towards me before jumping he was going to hit me! I quickly raised my shield and the shockwave that he brought down was crazy knocking down many of the trees. Finally he realized that we meant no harm that we were both on the same side.

"Are we done here?" I asked and they both agreed grabbing Loki and heading back to the jet. For my first time out on a mission since I woke up I Was definitely in for it. The only thing I wanted to do now was sleep and that sure as hell wasn't going to happen with these people or gods or whatever around.


	11. The Big Idea?

When we returned to the ship we watched as Fury questioned Loki and the man was insane true to his nature.

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Dr. Banner asked.

"Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?" I asked the other god

"He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract." THe god of lightning said and I nodded thought I was a bit shocked.

"An army? From outer space?" I asked eyes wide.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for." Banner observed. What?

"Selvig?" Thor asked.

"He's an astrophysicist." Bruce said.

"He's a friend."

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours."Natasha said but we needed answers!

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here." I exclaimed.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." It was true enough that I agreed with .

"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother."Thor defended.

"He killed eighty people in two days." Natasha deadpanned.

"He's adopted." He was quite in denial now wasn't he?

"Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?"Bruce asked but I couldn't answer for him.

"It's a stabilizing agent."Stark said walking in with Coulson. "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing. Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants." He turned to the crew. "Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the topsails. That man is playing GALAGA!" I looked around what the heck was galaga? "Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did. How does Fury do this?" He asked and Agent Hill simply said he turns which made a lot of sense.

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" I asked concerned. I liked Science a bit but was always rubbish at it.

"He's got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier." Bruce said. Maybe I was a little rusty on my science.

"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect." Tony said.

"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet."

"Finally, someone who speaks English." Really?

"Is that what just happened?" I asked placing my head on the table terribly confused. They continued to talk Tony being insensitive before Fury walked in.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him." Fury said but I wasn't playing. I wanted to get started with that sceptre.

"Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon."I said.

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys." Fury said.

"Monkeys? I do not understand." Thor said but I did and was so happy finally understanding something!

"I do!" I smiled and everyone stared at me. I looked down in shame. "I understood that reference." Tony smiled at me which made me blush embarrassed as he turned to Bruce. "Shall we play, doctor?" He asked.

"Let's play some." Bruce said and they walked away but not before Stark winked at me. I didn't like it because even after seventy years I still missed Bucky. i decided to walk around the ship before heading to the lab where Tony was trying to anger Bruce. Was he crazy?!

"Hey! Are you nuts?" I asked them. They both ignored me.

"You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?"Stark asked Bruce.

"Is everything a joke to you?" I asked glaring at him.

"Funny things are dollface."

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny. No offense, doctor." I said with sad eyes.

"No, it's alright. I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things." Bruce said forgiving me.

"You're tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut."Tony exclaimed.

"And you need to focus on the problem,Mr. Stark." I growled.

"You think I'm not? Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables." He replied.

"You think Fury's hiding something?" I laughed.

"He's a spy. Captain, he's the spy. His secrets have secrets. It's bugging him too, isn't it?" WE both looked at Bruce.

"Uh...I just wanna finish my work here and..." Bruce stumbled.

"Doctor?"I asked eyes widened.

"A warm light for all mankind, Loki's jab at Fury about the cube." He answered.

"I heard it."

"Well, I think that was meant for you."He told Tony. "Even if Barton didn't post that all over the news."

"The Stark Tower? The one in New York?" I asked.

"It's powered by Stark Reactors, self- sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for what, a year?"Bruce asked Tony.

"That's just the prototype. I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now."He was a bit cocky like Howard.

"So, why didn't SHIELD bring him in on the Tesseract project? I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?"He did make a point.

"I should probably look into that once my decryption programmer finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files sweetheart." Tony said, wait what?

"I'm sorry, did you say...?" I asked trailing off.

"Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours we'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide. Blueberry?" I didn't want his fruit!

"Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around?"I asked.

"An intelligence organization that fears intelligence? Historically, not possible." Tony stated.

"I think Loki's trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war, and if don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them." Only I wasn't so sure of my orders anymore.

"Following is not really my style."

"And you're all about style, aren't you?"

"Of the people in this room, which one is; A. wearing a spangly outfit, and B. not of use?"

"Stevie, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?" I couldn't take it anymore and left. I had to find something because Bruce was right. What was the big idea and why weren't we involved? Why are we being kept in the dark. I had to find out.


	12. Divided

After my discussion with Tony and Doctor Banner I decided to ddo my own investigating. No one stopped me but I did knock out one agent to get their keycard. I found a door labeled phase two and then I saw the cases. They had HYDRA's logo the skull with tentacles. My fingers itched to open it and almost ripped the case apart. There they sat HYDRA Weapons and I was angry. I almost threw the gun across the room I Was so mad but I kept it together picking up the case and running back towards the lab. Everyone else was there.

"PHASE 2 is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons." I said throwing down the rifle. Tony looked rather shocked at my attitude change. "Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow. I got impatient."

"Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're..."Tony cut him off.

"I'm sorry, Nick." He brought up a blueprint for phase two. "What were you saying?"

"I was wrong, director. The world hasn't changed a bit. Not a damn bit." I said as Thor and Natasha walked in Natasha more than alarmed as she stared at Banner.

"Did you know about this?" Banner asked.

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" She asked him.

"I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed."

"Loki's manipulating you."

"And you've been doing what exactly?"

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

"Because of him." Nick pointed to Thor.

"Me?" Thor asked.

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet."

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled." I scoffed.

"Like you controlled the cube?" I asked.

"You're work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war." Thor explained.

"A higher form?" I was undoubtedly unaware to what was going on.

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with something."Fury said.

"Nuclear deterrent. `Cause that always calms everything right down."Tony argued.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?"

"I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep." I growled.

"Wait! Wait! Hold on! How is this is about me?" Tony argued.

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?"

"I thought humans were more evolved than this." Thor said.

"Excuse me, did WE come to YOUR planet and blow stuff up?" Nick argued.

"Did you always give your champions such mistrust?"

"Do you all really think that Captain America is naive? S.H.I.E.L.D monitors potential threat."

"Potential threats? watch list?" Tony laughed pointing at me. "You're on that list? Are you above or below angry bees?"

"I swear to God, Stark, one more crack..." I growled.

"Threatening! I feel threatened!" Tony cried out.

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos." Thor said pointing to every one of us.

"It's his M.O., isn't it? I mean, what are we, a team? No, no, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're... we're a time-bomb." Banner said.

"You need to step away." Nick told him.

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony said wrapping an arm around me.

"You know damn well why! Back off!" I replied shoving him away.

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me."

"Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?"

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I loved a man with nothing that would always be there for me."

"Yes I've seen the footage. You and your precious Barnes." He sneered. this cut me to the core but I would not show weakness in front of this man.

"The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you." I said.

"I think I would just cut the wire.

"Always a way out... You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

"A hero? Like you?" He snickered. "You're a lab rat, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!" This hurt even more. I was more than my body and I was more than my strength.

"Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds." I urged.

"You people are so petty... and tiny."Thor laughed.

"Yeah, this is a tee..." Bruce was cut off.

"Agent Romanoff, would you escort back to his..." Nick was cut off now.

"Where? You rented my room."

"The cell was just in case..."

"In case you needed to kill me, but you can't! I know! I tried!" My eyes widened. "I got low. I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out! So I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good, until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk! You wanna know my secret, Agent Romanoff? You wanna know how I stay calm?" Everyone mobilized.

"Doctor Banner... put down the scepter." I said eyes widened worried about what he was about to do. The computer beeped.

"Got it." Tony said as Bruce put down the scepter.

"Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my little party trick after all." He said almost maliciously.

"Located the Tesseract?" Thor asked.

"I can get there faster." Tony added.

"Look, all of us..." I tried to speak.

"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard, no human is a match for it." Thor said Tony was going after it alone but I couldn't let him.

"You're not going alone!" I said.

"You gonna stop me?"

"Put on the suit, let's find out."

"I'm not afraid to hit an old woman."

"Put on the suit." Suddenly another beep came from the computer.

"Oh, my God!"Bruce exclaimed and suddenly an explosion erupted pushing us all back.

"Put on the suit!" I cried to Tony who helped me up.

"Yep!" He said and we ran off. We were endlessly divided once again. Could we ever be a company of heroes again?


	13. Chaos and Defeat

I ran quickly behind Tony who was working at the gear or preparing to at least. I had to let him know I was there.

"Stark, I'm here!" I cried out.

"Good. Let's see what we got." I watched as Tony flew up to the downed engine. "I gotta get this super conducting cooling system back online before I can access the rotors and work on dislodging the debris. I need you to get to that engine control panel and tell me which relays are in overload position." The railing was broken but I was able to get over with a large jump. Opening the panel I was amazed yet confused. "What's it look like in there?" Tony asked.

"It seems to run on some form of electricity." I replied sarcastically.

"Well, you're not wrong."He replied.

"The relays are intact. What's our next move?"

"Even if I clear the rotors, this thing won't re-engage without a jump. I'm gonna have to get in there and push."

"Well if that thing gets up to speed, you'll get shredded!" I exclaimed.

"Then stay in the control unit and reverse polarity long enough to disengage mag..." I cut him off.

"Speak English!" I shouted over the comm.

"See that red lever? It'll slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out. Stand by it, wait for my word." Alright that was easy enough wasn't it? I jumped back down to the lever but as Tony jump started the engine once again I was attacked by armed enemies. I fought them off but Tony was soon calling for the lever and I was otherwise occupied.

"Cap, I need the lever!" He called.

"I need a minute here!" I replied.

"Lever. Now!" He called out. Finally I was able to pull it and Tony flew out joining me.

"Sorry! I was occupied by some enemies."

"No hard feelings." He replied and then we got the news.

"Agent Coulson is down."Fury said and we stopped.

"Paramedics are on their way." Another agent said.

"They're here. They called it." We joined him on the bridge. "These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. Guess he never did get you to sign them." He threw Coulson's trading cards at me. I Felt ashamed that I didn't sign them. They were stained with blood, Phil's blood. "We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor. I got nothing for my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming." I looked up at him angry. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even was an idea, Stark knows this,called THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea, in heroes." Tony got up done with the whole idea. "Well, it's an old fashioned notion."

"I'll go after him." I said walking off. I found Tony at the cell looking at the bloodstain for where Phil died. "Was he married?" I asked Tony turned around as he heard my voice.

"No. There was a uh...cellist, I think." He replied.

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man."

"He was an idiot." I was taken aback.

"Why? For believing?" I asked.

"For taking on Loki alone." He replied.

"He was doing his job."

"He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have..."Tony was choked up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony. I learned that when I lost Bucky." He pulled away from me.

"Right. How did that work for him?"

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?"

"WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS! I am not marching to Fury's fife!" I held my hands up in defeat.

"Neither am I! He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. Right now we've got to put that aside and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list..."I was cut off.

"He made it personal." Tony said.

"That's not the point." I replied.

"That is the point. That's Loki's point. He hit us all right where we live. Why?"

"To tear us apart."

"He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants. He wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."

"Right, I caught his act at Stuttgart." I said remembering that night in Germany.

"Yeah. That's just a preview, this is opening night. Loki's a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered..." He stopped for a moment. "Sonofabitch!" Tony began to run off. I Followed.

"We have to mobilize everyone." I said and he nodded.

"Get Romanoff and Barton I'll meet you at the jet." I turned around. "And Stevie?"

"Yeah?"

"You're more than just a experiment."

"Thanks." I said before running off to find Clint and Natasha but not before grabbing my shield and putting my uniform back on. "Time to go." I said to them.

"Go where?"Natasha asked.

"I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?" Barton or at least the man I believed to be Barton according to the file.

"I can."He said looking at Natasha she nodded to confirm it.

"You got a suit?" I asked him.

"Yeah."

"Then suit up." I said and we were off as soon as they were ready. Loki had pushed us to far and he would not succeed.


	14. Battle of New York: Part 1

We walked together to the quinjet.

"You're not authorized to be here." The man maintaining the jet said.

"Son, just don't." I said cutting him off and taking the jet.

"It's going to be crazy when we get down there." Natasha said.

"It's worth it for the betterment of the world and to stop Loki." I replied. We were beginning our descent.

"Stark, we're heading north east."Natasha told him.

"What, did you stop for drive-thru? Swing up PARK, I'm gonna lay 'em out for you."He replied landing the jet. We were surrounded fighting off the aliens.

"Tony, are you seeing this?" I asked over the comm.

"I'm seeing, still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?"He asked and I was confused.

"Banner?"

"Just keep me posted." The fight was not looking good and I noticed that the people of New York were panicked and unsafe.

"Those people need assistance down there." I stated.

"We got this. It's good. Go!" Natasha said and I looked at Clint.

"You think you can hold them off?" I asked him.

"Captain." He loosed an arrow hitting an alien which promptly exploded. "It would be my genuine pleasure." I ran off towards the cops who were trying to corner off the fight.

"I need men in these buildings. There are people inside that can run into the line of fire. You take them through the basement or through the subway. You keep them off the streets. I need a perimeter as far back as 39th."I ordered.

"Why the hell should I take orders from you?"He asked I suddenly blocked a bolt of energy from a chitauri spear.

"That proof enough?" I asked and he began radioing the other units. No one else was going to get hurt today. I ran back to Natasha, Clint, and thor who had come down to fight with us. "What's going on upstairs Thor?" I asked.

"The powers surrounding the cube is impenetrable." Thor stated.

"Thor is right. We gotta deal with these guys."Tony added.

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked breathless.

"As a team." I replied. We kept fighting but we were still a bit surrounded.

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor growled.

"Yeah, get in line." Hawkeye snapped.

"Save it boys. Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he's gonna need us..." I stopped myself here as I saw Bruce riding towards us on a motorbike.

"So, this all seems horrible." Bruce said breathlessly.

"I've seen worse."Natasha replied.

"Me too." I added.

"Sorry." He apologized.

"No. We could use a little worse." I smiled at the two of them and transmitted to Tony over the comm.

"Stark? We got him." I said.

"Banner?" He asked.

"Just like you said."

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." He flew towards us a Leviathan behind him.

"I... I don't see how that's a party..." Natasha added.

"Dr. Banner. Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."I looked at him.

"That's my secret, Stevie. I'm always angry." Turning around he turned into the hulk and punched out the Leviathan that was flying towards us. We had the upper hand now.

(To Be Continued)


	15. Battle of New York: Part 2

(Part 2)

With Bruce here we were going to be able to win this fight. And then we were more outgunned than ever.

"Guys." Natasha gasped.

"Call it, Cap."Tony shouted.

"Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, we're gonna use containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or your turn it to ash." I ordered becoming the captain I needed to be for this team. Clint and Tony flew off. "Thor, you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You've got the lightning. Light the bastards up." Thor smirked and flew off as well. I now looked at Natasha. "You and me, we stay here on the ground, keep the fighting here. And Hulk." The green man looked at me. "Smash." I smirked and he smirked back jumping onto one of the alien ships. Could be really win this? I believed that we could.

"Captain, none of this is gonna mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal." Natasha groaned.

"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it." I said sadly.

"Well, maybe it's not about guns."She smirked pointing to one of the little hovercraft.

"You wanna get up there, you're gonna need a ride."

"I got a ride. I could use a lift though." She began to back up and I positioned my shield.

"Are you sure about this Natasha?" I asked unsure.

"Yeah. It's gonna be fun." She said and ran towards me. I propelled her up towards the crafts. Once she was up I caught Clint on the comm.

"Captain, the bank on 42nd past MADISON, they caught a lot of civilians there."He said. I wasn't letting anyone else die today.

"I'm on it." I said growling and breaking into a run towards them .The people of New York were panicked. "Everyone clear out!" I said fighting off the aliens that surrounded a young man.

"Thank you." He said with a smile.

"No problem now get down and get safe." I said before running back to fight the good fight joining Thor. He suddenly stopped as the aliens cleared for a moment.

"Are you ready for another bout?" Thor asked.

"What are you getting sleepy big guy. You'll let a woman fight longer than you." I smirked and we kept fighting. Suddenly Natasha came in on the comm.

"I can close it! Can anybody hear me? I can shut the portal down!"She cried out.

"Do it!" I ordered.

"No, wait!"Tony exclaimed.

"Tony, these things are still coming!"

"I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it." He was heading towards the portal.

"Tony that is a one-way trip you'll die!" I exclaimed. Although we didn't get along I wasn't going to let him die!

"I have to Stevie." He replied and I gave up letting him go. I ordered NAtasha to closet he portal when Tony came flying out. The Hulk caught him but he wasn't breathing.

"Please don't hate me for this." I said and gave him mouth to mouth. When I released he woke up gasping!

"What the hell? What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me?"He asked and I blushed.

"We won and I might have k-kissed you, it was only to get you breathing!" I defended myself.

"Damn Stevie. Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it."He said and I just smiled.

"We're not finished yet." Thor said looking up at the tower.

"And then shawarma after."

"Yes Tony, Shawarma after." I replied and we headed up the tower where Loki lay defeated.

"If it's any consolation I'll take that drink now."Loki said and as tempted as I was I would not punch him. We had him in custody the tesseract was safe now we just had to dodge everything else that would be coming after us.


	16. Moving On Again

A few days later once Bruce fixed the kinks we were sending off Thor and Loki. Loki was cuffed and muzzled but Thor was happy to say goodbye to me.

"Take care of yourself my patriotic lady! the bards will sing songs for your triumph and patriotism!" He said giving me a bone crushing hug.

"Thanks Thor just keep that one out of trouble." I replied pointing to Loki.

"Of course." He said before getting ready to leave. I stood over by Tony.

"Is there anyway I can get you to stay in New York Stevie? We could get you some new tech, get you used to the world. Pepper would love to take you shopping." Tony said and I smiled.

"My friend, I can't stay here there are too many old memories, besides SHIELD's offered me a job in Washington. America needs their captain!" I shouted after Thor and Loki were gone I jumped on my bike heading back to my temporary apartment. I started packing my things how very little of them I had and noticed that picture of Bucky and I along with his dog tags. I put them around my neck almost feeling his familiar warmth and wishing he were here with me. I set the stuff in the U-haul that was following me and took my bike down to DC. Perhaps things would be better down there.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this fanfic is alson on fanfiction.net and I thought I would put it on here as well because I want to so a RPF for Seb with an OC as the actress playing Stevie we'll see thought


	17. Can't Run Everywhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of Captain America: The Winter Soldier

After moving to Washington I kind of became complacent in my life which included running laps around the monuments. On this particular day another man was running it was only fair to let him know I Was coming up on his side.

"On you left." I said as I ran past him. This happened about ten or twenty times and then as sthe sun started to fully rise on at least thetwenty-fifth lab he groaned.

"Don't say it! Don't you say it!" He shouted and I couldn't help it.

"On your left!" I Laughed out.

"Come on!" He groaned but I kept on running. When I finished my last lap I saw him sitting against a tree.

"Need a medic?" I asked.

"I need a new set of lungs. Girl, you just ran like thirteen miles in thirty minutes."

"I guess I got a late start the alarm wouldn't go off this morning."I joked.

"Oh, really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap." He replied before looking away. "Did you just take it? I assumed you just took it." He was wearing an army sweatshirt.

"What unit are you with?" I asked.

"Fifty-eighth, Para-rescue. But now I'm working down at the VA. Sam Wilson." He introduced as I helped him up.

"Stephanie Rogers but my friends call me Stevie." I replied.

"I kind of put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing." I still didn't like to think about it."

"It takes some getting used to. It's good to meet you, Sam." I said and turned around beginning to leave when he spoke again.

"It's your bed, right?" He asked.

"What's that?" I replied.

"Your bed, it's too soft. When I was over there I sleep on the ground and used rock for pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed, and It's like..."

"Lying on a marshmallow. I feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor. How long?" I asked still a little bit curious.

"Two tours. You must miss the good old days, huh?"

"Well, things aren't so bad. I miss my friends but the food's a lot better, we used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot trying to catch up but I also enjoy watching videos of cats." This made him laugh.

"Marvin Gaye, 1972, "Trouble Man" soundtrack. Everything you've missed jammed into one album."He said and I smiled.

"I'll put it on the list." I said with a grin before pulling out my little notebook. Everyone I met including the avengers gave me things to do and look at that were major in the years I was gone.

I Love Lucy

Moon Landing;

Berlin Wall (Up + Down)

Steve Jobs (Apple);

Disco;

Thai Food;

Star Wars/ ~~Trek~~

Nirvana (Band);

Rocky (Rocky II?) I wrote down 'Marvin Gaye Trouble man as my phone went off.

Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)

It was Natasha.

"Alright, Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you wanna call running." I joked.

"Oh, that's how it is?" He asked.

"Oh, that's how it is."

"Okay. Any time you wanna stop by the VA, make the girl at the front desk jealous just let me know."

"I'll keep it in mind."I smirked.

"Okay." He said as Natasha pulled up to the curb.

"Hey, guys. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil." She joked.

"Very funny." I Griped.

"How you doing?"Sam asked her.

"Hey."She replied.

"You can't run everywhere." I said

"No, you can't."He replied and I waved as Natasha and I left for the triskelion. After suiting up we left on the jet with the STRIKE Team. Rumlow was giving us the brief.

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. It was sending up their last payload when pirates took them, ninety-three minutes ago." He said.

"Any demands?" I asked.

"A billion and a half."

"Why so steep?"

"Because it SHIELD's." Of course it's SHIELD's I'm always the one they call in to clean everything up.

"So it's not off course, it's trespassing." I added.

"I'm sure they have a good reason." Natasha defended.

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor." I growled.

"Relax, it's not that complicated." I shook my head and turned to Rumlow trying to focus on the task ahead of me.

"How many pirates?" I asked.

"Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy. Georges Batroc. Ex-TGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's "red notice". Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

"Hostages?"

"Uh...mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell. They're in the galley."

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship? Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you'll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to life pods. get 'em out. Let's go."

"STRIKE, you heard the Captain. Gear up!" Brock said and the team got their gear in order.

"Secure channel seven." I ordered Natasha who was desperately trying to set me up with any man she could.

"Seven secure. You do anything fun Saturday night?" She asked.

"Well, all my friends are dead, so... No, not really."

"Coming up by the drop zone, Cap."Brock interrupted and I nodded.

"You know, if you ask Kevin out, from Statistics, he'll probably say yes." She said.

"That's why I don't ask." I replied.

"Too shy or too scared?"She smirked as I approached the open door of the jet.

"Too busy!" I replied before jumping out and landing on the boat. Now for the fun part.


	18. The Lumerian Star

I jumped out of the jet and into the water sneaking on the ship. It was long before one of the pirates caught wind of me.

"Ne pas déplacer! [don't move!]"He shouted but before he could shoot me he was shot down dead by Rumlow who was parachuting in with the rest of the STRIKE team.

"Thanks." I said.

"Yeah. You seemed pretty helpless without me." He smirked.

"What about the nurse that lives across the hall from you? He seems kind of nice." Natasha added and I just shook my head.

"Secure the engine room, then find me a date." I said as the team split up I was looking for Batroc.

"I'm multitasking!" She called out smirking. Walking through the ship I was affronted by some of the pirates who were easy to take out. I needed Natasha to tell me how she was working on the engine room

"Natasha, what's your status?" I asked getting almost radio silence from her. "Status, Natasha?" I asked.

"Hang on!"She shouted over the comm straining to take care of some of the pirates before replying to me. "Engine room secure. I got on the line with Rumlow who was ready to retrieve the hostages.

"On my mark. Three. Two. One." I said and they set off our weapons as I went into pursuit of Batroc.

"Hostages enroot to extraction. Romanoff missed the rendezvous point, Captain. Hostiles are still in play."Rumlow said.

"Natasha, Batroc's on the move. Circle back to Rumlow and protect the hostages." I realized that she wasn't answering. "Natasha!" I whisper/yelled when Batroc finally jumped towards me. WE fought for a minute before separating.

"Je pensais que vous étiez plus qu'un masque. (I thought that you were more than just a mask)"He quipped. I guess it was time for some hand-to-hand. I put my shield onto my back and took off my mask letting my blonde hair falling from my bun and into the simple braid.

"Découvrons-le (Let's find out)." I replied and we began to fight once again. I was finally able to push him through a window knocking him out and seeing Natasha extracting info from the ship's computers.

"Well, this is awkward."She said.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into."

"Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you doing here?" I asked before seeing the computer screen. "You're saving SHIELD Intel." I observed.

"Whatever I can get my hands on."

"Our mission is to rescue hostages." I growled.

"No. That's your mission. And you've done it beautifully."She began to leave but I grabbed her arm to stop her.

"You just jeopardized this whole operation." I said anger piercing my eyes.

"I think that's overstating things." She replied. That was then Batroc leapt up and through a grenade at us. I shielded Natasha and myself from the impact. "Okay. That one's on me." She said getting up after the explosion went off.

"You're damn right." I said. We quickly arrested the pirates got the hostages home and I left for Washington to talk to Nick about this. "You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?" I asked walking angrily into Nick's office.

"I didn't lie. Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours." He replied and I got aggravated.

"Which you didn't feel obliged to share with me?"

"I'm not obliged to tell you anything."

"Those hostages could've died, Nick."

"I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen."

"Soldiers trust each other, that's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of people running around and shooting guns!"

"The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything."

"I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their own."

"It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because nobody knows them all." That was so stupid!

"Except you apparently." I quipped.

"You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that."He beckoned me to follw him to the elevator for something called insight. I was curious to say the least as Nick wen ton about his grandfather and the elevator business that he had. "Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a 0.22." I saw three helicarriers carrying what had to be all up-to-date technology. "This is Project Insight. Three next generation Helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites."Fury explained.

"Launched from the Lemurian Star."I added.

"Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulser engines."

"Stark?"I smirked.

"Well, he had a few suggestions once he got an up close look at our old turbines. These new long range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen."He replied. It all seemed a little intense.

"I thought the punishment usually came after the crime?"I asked.

"We can't afford to wait that long." He replied.

"Who the hell's "we"?"

"After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge on threat analysis. For once we're way ahead of the curve."

"By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection."

"You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff."

"Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free. We worked to fight against a madman who slaughtered almost an entire race of people. We were fighting for freedom and safety. This isn't freedom, this is fear." I pointed out.

"SHIELD takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. It's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap."

"Don't hold your breath. Because I don't know if I can be akin to this." I said before leaving for the day. Even after being in the world again for awhile now I was still unaware to just how oblivious I was.


	19. In Pursuit

After seeing the helicarriers I left the Triskellion for the day. I needed to clear my head. I did the things that I did most of the time. This included visiting the exhibit they had put in for me at the smithsonian. I usually came in a disguise to keep from drawing attention to myself. I pulled my baseball cap lower onto my head my now shorter blonde hair and bangs disguising me a bit further.

"A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice." The narration said. "Denied enlistment due to poor health, and her gender, Stephanie Grace Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare. One that would transform her into the world's first super soldier." I looked up to notice a little girl in red, white, and blue looking at me. I raised a finger to my mouth and she nodded with a smile. I walked around some more finding the howling Commandos and Bucky's own small exhibit. "Battle tested, Captain America and her Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division. Best friends since childhood, lovers in adulthood, Bucky Barnes and Stephanie Rogers were inseparable on both school yard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling commando to give his life in service of his country." A tear threatened to fall down my cheek as I clutched onto Bucky's dog ties which I never took off. I headed off after watching an interview of Peggy's. Often I would visit her.

(A/N: In this story Peggy doesn't have alzheimers)

I sat down to a cup of tea with my old friend.

"You should be proud of yourself, Peggy." I said smiling at my friend. She had been married, she had many children and grandchildren. She had what I always wanted.

"Mm. I have lived a life. My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours." I looked away from her. "What is it Stevie?" She asked.

"For as long as I can remember I just wanted to do what was right. I guess I'm not quite sure what that is anymore. And I thought I could throw myself back in and follow orders, serve. It's just not the same." I replied.

"You're always so dramatic. Look, you saved the world. We rather...mucked it up." I chuckled.

"You didn't. Knowing that you helped found SHIELD is half the reason I stay."

"The world has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over." She smiled softly taking my hand in hers.

"Let's just hope you're right." After our long conversation and a short walk in her gardens I headed to see Sam at the VA. He was good with the other Vets.

"Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you. "I heard him say after the meeting was over I walked over to him.

"Look who it is. The running gal." He said and I smirked.

"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense."I replied.

"Yeah, sister, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret."

"You're right. You lose someone?"

"My wingman, Riley. Fly in the night mission. A standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knock Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch."

"I'm sorry."

"After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?"

"I know I lost the man I loved more that anything in the world. But you're happy now, back in the world?"

"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell, yeah. You thinking about getting out?"

"No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did. All I know how to do is fight."

"What about Ultimate fighting?" I chuckled. "There's a smile. It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?"

"I don't know. The person that made me happy is dead, I just don't know."

"You'll figure it out." I headed back to the apartment after that catching my neighbor Eric on the phone. He hung up and looked over at me.

"My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac." He explained and I smiled. "Yep."

"Hey, if you want...if you want, you're welcome to use my machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement." I replied.

"Oh, yeah? What's it cost?"

"A cup of coffee?" I said trying to flirt but it was not working.

"Thank you, but um...I already have a load in downstairs, and, uh...you really don't want my scrubs in your machine. I'm just finished orientation in the infectious diseases ward, so."

"Ah, well, I'll keep my distance."

"Well hopefully not too far." I blushed "Oh, and I think you left your stereo on." Wait, what?

"Oh. Right, thank you." I said and entering my apartment I grabbed my shield just in case. I looked to see who the intruder was and it turned out to be Nick. "I don't remember giving you a key." I told him.

"You really think I'd need one? My wife kicked me out."He replied.

"Didn't know you were married."

"There are a lot of things you don't about me."

"I know, Nick. That's the problem." I went to turn on the light but saw he was injured. Something happened as he shushed me. He typed something on his phone.

EARS EVERYWHERE

"I'm sorry to have do this, but I had no place else to crash." He typed again.

SHIELD COMPROMISED

"Who else knows about your wife?" I asked curious to know what was going on.

YOU AND ME

"Just...my friends."

"Is that what we are?"

"That's up to you."As he said that gunshots ran out. I dragged him to my kitchen. "Trust no one." He gasped handing me a flash drive. My door was opened.

"Captain Rogers?" I looked to see Eric. "Captain, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD's Special Service."

"Eric?" I asked.

"I'm Aaron Carter, I was assigned to protect you."

"On whose order?" I growled.

"His. Foxtrot is down, he's unresponsive. I need EMTs."He reported on a scanner.

"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" The agent on the other line asked. I saw the outline of the Shooter in the window.

"Tell them I'm in pursuit."I said and began running. I crashed through doors and windows towards the roof and threw my shield at the assailant. He caught it, with his metal arm?! This was definitely not good. He threw it back at me and jumped from the building. Who was he?


	20. On The Run

I followed the EMTs to the hospital and Natasha was there as well. Nick was declared dead and I was called to see Secretary Alexander Pierce. Eric well Aaron as I knew he was now was walking out when I arrived there.

"Ah, Captain. I'm Alexander Pierce." He said introucing himself.

"Sir, it's an honor." I replied shaking his hand.

"The honor is mine, Captain. My father served in the 101st. Come on in." I walked in and sat down at his desk. He handed me a photo of Nick and Him. "That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met. When I was at State Department in Bogota. ELN rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took hostages. Nick was deputy chief for the SHIELD station there. And he comes to me with a plan. He wants to storm the building through the sewers. I said, "No, we'll negotiate." Turned out the ELN didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement, and what did they find? They found it empty. Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out an unauthorized military operation on foreign soil. He saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my daughter."

"So you gave him a promotion." I added.

"I've never had any cause to regret it. Captain, why was Nick in your apartment last night?"

"I don't know."

"You know it was bugged?"

"I did, because Nick told me."

"Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it?"What? I did not, not that I would tell him that. "I want you to see something." He pulled up a video. It was Batroc from the Lumerian Star being interrogated.

"Is that live?" I asked curious to know.

"Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house in Algiers." Pierce replied.

"Are you saying he's a suspect? Assassination isn't Batroc's line."

"No, it's more complicated than that. Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star and he was contacted by e-mail and paid by wire transfer. And then the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts, the last one going to a holding company that was registered to a Jacob Veech."

"Am I supposed to know who that is?"

"Not likely. Veech died six years ago. His last address was 14-35 Elmhurst Drive. When I first met Nick his mother lived at 14-37."

"Are you saying Fury hired the pirates? Why?"

"Well the prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence. The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death."

"If you really knew Nick Fury you know that's not true."

"Why do you think we're talking? See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to but because Nick asked me to, because we were both realists. We knew that despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking and the rhetoric, that to build a really better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down. And that makes enemies. Those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in the mud and try to build something better. And the idea that those people could be happy today, makes me really, really angry. Captain, you were the last one to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident, and I don't think you do either. So I'm gonna ask again, why was he there?"

"He told me not to trust anyone." I admitted.

"I wonder if that included him." He replied.

"I'm sorry. Those were his last words. It was a pleasure to meet you ." I said shaking his hand again.

"It was a pleasure to meet you as well Miss Rogers but, somebody murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why. Anyone gets in my way, they're gonna regret it. Anyone."

"Understood have a good day sir." I left and headed for the elevator. It quickly filled up with STRIKE team members. I knew exactly what was happening and I had to get out of here. " Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?" I asked and they began to attack me. I fought back with my shield and every other skill I had acquired. Once they were all knocked out I slammed off the cuff they forced on my wrist. I had to get out of here and the building wasn't an option and I had to get back to the flash drive. I braced myself and pushing on my shield I crashed out of the glass elevator. It was official I was on the run. I grabbed my bag form the gym and changed out of my suit before taking my bike to the hospital but the flash drive was gone. I heard a bubble pop behind me. NAtasha was there with a smirk on her face as always. I dragged her into the room adjacent to the vending machine where I had stashed the flash drive. "Where is it?" I growled.

"Safe." She replied.

"Do better!"

"Where did you get it?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Fury gave it to you. Why?"

"What's on it?"

"I don't know."

"Stop lying! I know it's the info from the Lumerian Star!"

"I only act like I know everything, Stevie!"

"I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?"

"Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you."

"I'm not gonna ask you again Tasha."

"I know who killed Fury." My eyes widened.

"Keep going."I said.

"Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists, the ones who do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years."

"So he's a ghost story."

"Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot at my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me." She lifted up her shirt to show a nasty scar on her lower abdomen. "A Soviet slag, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis."

"Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now." I replied.

"Going after him is a dead end. I know, I've tried. Like you said, he's a ghost story." I took the drive from her.

"Well, let's find out what the ghost wants and why he killed Fury."

"Exactly but first you need a better disguise Rogers." She smirked. I was definitely in trouble.


	21. Revelations

After I caught up with Natasha we ended up at a mall to find a place to hack into the drive. She made me change my clothes into a hoodie, beanie, sunglasses, skinny jeans, and some tall shoes that looked like sneakers but had a heel in them.

"First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk." She said.

"If I run in these shoes, I'll face on my face." I replied as we headed into a computer store.

"The drive has a level six homing program, so as soon as we boot up SHIELD will know exactly where we are."

"How much time do we have?"

"Uh...about nine minutes from..."She placed the drive into the computer. "Now." She began to hack into the drive. "Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some sort of AI, it keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands."

"But you can override it?"

"The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly. I'm gonna try running a tracer. This is a program that SHIELD developed to track hostile malware, so if we can't read the file, maybe we can find out where it came from." Suddenly one of the stores workers came up to us.

"Can I help you guys with anything?"The worker asked us.

"Oh, no. My sister was just helping me with some honeymoon destinations."Natasha covered.

"Right! She's getting married."I added.

"Congratulations. Where do you guys thinking about going?"he asked and I looked at the monitor.

"Jersey." I said.

"Oh. Well Uh...if you guys need anything, I've been Aaron." He said and left. Time was running out.

"Thank you. You said nine minutes, come on." I said as he left.

"Shh, relax. Got it." The coordinates were up it was for Wheaton, NJ. "You know it?" Tasha asked.

"I used to. Let's go." I said finally I noticed the team members and after tasha kissing me too hide us from Rumlow we were out and on our way.

"Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?"Natasha asked with a smirk.

"Nazi Germany. And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash." I replied.

"Alright, I have a question for you, of which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?"

"What?"

"Was that your first kiss since 1945?"

"No, but it definitely wasn't one I appreciated. Was it that bad for you?" I asked.

"I didn't say that Stevie."

"Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying."

"Nobody special, though?"I laughed.

"Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience. Besides the one man I truly loved in life I lost." It became silent.

"I forgot about Barnes I'm sorry Stevie."

"It's okay. You'd think I would've moved on but he was my best friend and no matter how hard I try I can't. I still wear is dog tags you know."

"I've noticed but if you ever need a friend Stevie I'm here." I smiled.

"That sounds nice." Finally we got there under the cover of night. "This camp is where I was trained." I observed.

"Changed much?" She asked.

"A little. Come on." We went to the building that wasn't there before. I broke in where we found an elevator. Why was it hidden though. Taking the elevator down we found a secret computer room.

"This can't be the data-point, this technology is ancient." Natasha said but plugging in the flash drive the system started up with Tasha's command. The computer started up and started to talk in a familiar voice.

"Rogers, Stephanie Grace. Born, 1918. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1984."It was a face of a man I thought long dead. My eyes widened.

"It's some kind of a recording." Tasha said to herself.

"I am not a recording, Fräulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am." It was Zola, but it couldn't be? Could it?

"Do you know this thing?"Natasha asked looking at me.

"Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years."I added facing the computer screen.

"First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain." He said.

"How did you get here?"

"Invited."

"It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic values."Natasha said.

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own."Wait, no it couldn't be true, could it?

"HYDRA died with the Red Skull." I argued.

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place."

"Prove it."

"Accessing archive. HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed." ARticles and photos passed on the screens including one from Howard's death.

"That's impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you." Natasha argued.

"Accidents will happen. HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum." I was angry and punched the monitor smashing the glass. He appeared on another screen. "As I was saying... What's on this drive? Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm."

"What kind of algorithm? What does it do?"

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it." He said Natasha looked at her phone alarmed.

"Stevie we've got a bogey coming in." OH this entire thing was a trap."Admit it, it's better this way. We're both of us...out of time."

"Tasha get in!" I shouted noticing a gap in the floor. I jumped in and covered the opening with my shield. I got out after noticing the helicopters were gone. We had to get out of here and SHIELD wasn't an answer anymore. Tasha groaned in pain. "It's alright come on." I said and helped her out of the hole she was injured so I carried her out and to another car. We couldn't go back to the truck as they probably placed a bug on it. I knew of one place we could go. I saw him running through the monuments and followed him back to hs house knocking on the door.

"Stevie?" He asked as he opened the door.

"Hey I'm sorry about this. We need a place to lay low."I replied.

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us." Natasha added.

"Not everyone."Sam said letting us in. I got a shower while he stitched up Natasha and I found her sitting in a chair with a blank stare on her face. 

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah."She replied.

"What's going on?"

"When I first joined SHIELD, I thought it was going straight. But I guess I just traded in the KGB for HYDRA. I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but...I guess I can't tell the difference anymore."

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business."I joked and she smiled.

"I owe you."She said.

"It's okay. If anything I'd say we're even." I replied.

"But, If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me, would you trust me to do it?"

"I would now. And I'm always honest."

"Well, you seem pretty chipper for someone who just found out they died for nothing."

"Well, I guess I just like to know who I'm fighting. Everything's revealed now and we have to stop it Tasha." I said taking her hand.

"You're right, I'm in." She said.

"So am I." Sam added. Now we just had to figure the rest out.


	22. The Winter Soldier

Sam, Tasha, and I had to get out of here first and find his flight suit. HE explained the falcon project to us and that he wasn't a pilot in the traditional way at least. But this would help us. Jasper Sitwell we realized had something to do with this so Natasha and I waited in a car for sitwell. We forced him up onto a rooftop.

"Tell me about Zola's algorithm." I commanded.

"Never heard of it."He replied and I threw him around again.

"What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?"

"I was throwing up, I get seasick." I pushed him to the edge of the rooftop. "throwing people off of rooftops? Doesn't seem like Captain America's behavior or yours for that matter Miss Rogers." I smirked.

"You're right. It's not. It's hers." I said and Natasha shoved him from the roof.

"Oh, wait. What about that guy from accounting, Lou?" Natasha asked.

"Louie. Lip piercing, right?"

"Yeah, he's cute."

"Yeah, I'm not ready for that." I said and watched as Sam flew up and dropped Sitwell back at my feet.

"Zola's algorithm is a program...for choosing Insight's targets!"

"What targets?"

"You! A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future."

"The Future? How could it know?"How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it." Wait, what? "Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates peoples' past to predict their future."

"And what then?" I growled.

"Oh, my God. Pierce is gonna kill me."He mumbled.

"What then?!" I shouted angrily.

"Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few millions at a time." We climbed down and threw him into the car with us. "HYDRA doesn't like leaks." He said.

"So why don't you try sticking a cork in it."Sam said.

"Insight's launching in sixteen hours, we're cutting it a little bit close here." Natasha observed.

"I know. We'll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the Helicarriers directly."I replied.

"What?! Are you crazy? That is a terrible, terrible ide-" He was pulled from the car by the man wit the metal arm. The Winter Soldier was here.

"Shit!" Sam said as the Soldier pulled the wheel from the car.

"Hold on!"I said holding the two of them close. We were in fro a fight as I was pushed off the thruway from a shot to my shield. The fighting was thick and I Went back to it climbing out of the bus I crashed into. I couldn't see Natasha until I found the Soldier trying to go after her and fought against him pushing her out of the way.

"You killed Nick, you've almost killed me, and I'm going to stop you." I said and he growled back pulling out a pocket knife. I slammed my shield into the joint of his metal arm. I was caught off guard but quickly gained the upper hand as I threw him down and he did a flip. This was when his mask came through and I saw who he was. It made me stop in my tracks. "Bucky?" I asked alarmed.

"Who the hell is Bucky?" He asked and my heart shattered. He was about to shoot me again when Sam flew in. I dodged a rocket launcher but was quickly surrounded by the STRIKE team or HYDRA as I now knew them.

"Drop the shield, Captain! On your knees! Get on your knees! Now! Get down! Get down!" Rumlow ordered and I did. I had given up quite easily. Bucky was alive but he couldn't remember who I was and it hurt my heart. I felt a gun behind me. "Put the gun down. Not here. Not here!" Rumlow said and shoved Natasha, Sam, and I into the back of an armoured truck.

"It was him. He looked right at me and he didn't even know me." I said to Natasha and sam sadly.

"How's that even possible? It was like seventy years ago." Sam added.

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43, Zola experimented on 'em. Whatever he did, it helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him."

"None of that's your fault, Stevie."Tasha said.

"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky."

"We need to get a doctor here. We don't put pressure on that wound she's gonna bleed out here in the truck."Sam said one of the guards cutting him off. I thought that he was going to be hurt but the guard shocked the other guard and took off their helmet. It was Maria Hill.

"God! That thing was squeezing my brain."He said. "Who's this guy?" She helped us escape to a safe house bunker. And there in a hospital bed lay Nick Fury alive and kicking.

"About damn time." He said as we sat down Natasha's wound getting worked on. "Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, one hell of a headache." Fury continued.

"Don't forget your collapsed lung." The doctor added.

"Oh, let's not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good."

"They cut you open, your heart stopped." Natasha said.

"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it."

"Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?" I asked.

"Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful."Maria added.

"Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust."Nick said we sat down after Natasha as stitched up and discussed the plan. It got me thinking, thinking about my past with Bucky.

*Flashback*

We were coming back from my mother's funeral I remembered.

"We looked for you after. My folks wanted to give you a ride from the cemetery." Bucky said walking with me towards my apartment.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just...kind of wanted to be alone."I replied.

"How was it?"

"It was okay. She's next to Dad."

"I was gonna ask..."

"I know what you're gonna say, Buck, I just..."

"We can put the couch cushion on the floor like when we were kids. It'll be fun. All you gotta do is shine my shoes, maybe take out the trash, let me take you to Coney Island." We got back to my apartment and I couldn't find my key. Bucky kicked a brick away revealing my spare key. "Come on." He said.

"Thank you, Buck, but I can get by on my own."I replied.

"The thing is, you don't have to. I'm with you till the end of the line, Stevie, always." He kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly.

*End Flashback*

When I came out of my thought I noticed a tear running down my cheek as Bucky's dog tags rattled against my chest.

"He's gonna be there, you know?"Sam asked bringing me out of my memory.

"I know."I replied.

"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop."

"I don't know if I could do that. I loved him Sam, I still do."

"Well, he might not give you a choice. He doesn't remember you, he doesn't know you anymore."

"He will. Gear up, it's time." I added beginning to leave him.

"You gonna wear that?"

"No. If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform." I said with a smirk before leaving to break into the smithsonian to get my old suit. He was going to be there I knew that but I would get him to remember even if it killed me.


	23. The Fall of Insight

We headed out as a team to the triskellion. I wore my old world war two suit with Bucky's dog tags on full display. I would get him to remember me. First we broke into the triskellion. THe guards in the control room were shocked to say the least.

"Howdy boys, excuse us." I said and the officials the backed away. I took the microphone in my hands and set the PA system. "Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Stephanie Rogers." I gagged at the use of my full name. "You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot the Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay It's one a lot of people paid many years ago and it's time to pay it again. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not." I said and set down the mic.

"Damn girl, did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" Sam asked and I smirked.

"Come on let's go." I said and we ran out towards the ships.

"Stevie, they're initiating launch."Maria said as Sam and I ran.

"Hey, Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" He asked.

"If they're shooting at you, they're bad." I replied as he flew off. I ran for the closest carrier.

"Hey, Cap, I found those bad guys you were talking about." Sam said over our comm.

"You okay?"

"Not dead yet. "

"Well that's a start." Getting onto the helicarrier and dodging bullets along the way I made it to the blade system replacing their targeting blade with our first. "Alpha locked." I said over the comm heading for another. Sam came over the comm.

"Bravo locked."Sam said. The Charlie carrier was last and then we would be successful. But for right now I needed a ride.

"Sam, I'm gonna need a ride!" I called over.

"Roger! Let me know when you're ready."He said as I dodged a HYDRA shot falling over the edge of the ship.

"I just did!"I screamed and he caught me setting me down on the Charlie carrier.

"You know, you're a lot heavier than you look." He groaned.

"You should never complain about a woman's weight." I joked when Bucky came and pulled me over the edge.

"Stevie!"Sam shouted. I caught myself as Sam was about to help me when Bucky then grabbed him. I kept my bearings trying to get into the bladecenter. "Cap? Cap, come in. Are you okay?"Sam asked.

"Yeah, I'm here! I'm still on the Helicarrier." I replied. "Where are you?"

"I'm grounded, the suit's down. Sorry, Cap."

"It's okay. Don't worry, I got it."I said and climbed up. Bucky stood in front of the blade system. " People are gonna die, Buck. I can't let that happen." I said taking off my mask. "Please, don't make me do this. " I begged before throwing my shield at him and charged at the man I loved. He stabbed me in the shoulder and I dropped the chip. Getting away from him I went to grab it. He ensued after me sliding in and grabbing the chip. I tried to get it from him wrapping my legs around his throat and flipping him over. "Drop it! Drop it!" I commanded finally he lost enough air to loosen his grip. I grabbed the chip and with a sprint I climbed up to the system again Bucky hitting me with Bullets as I went. I was getting weaker.

"One minute."Maria said as I got up there I felt a bullet hit me in the stomach. "Thirty seconds, Cap!"

"Stand by." I replied. I had to do this for everyone! I pulled myself up and placed the blade in locking it. I heard the countdown and made it just in time. "Charlie locked." I said. "Fire when ready." I said.

"Get out of there Stevie." Maria insisted.

"Fire now!" I commanded.

"But, Stevie..."

"Do it!" I said and the firefight between the carriers began. I saw Bucky stuck underneath a piece of steel. I had to get him out. I jumped down and began to lift the bar off his body. He stood up. "You know me." I said.

"No I don't!" He shouted punching me down again.

"Bucky, you've known me your whole life. You loved me."

"No, I don't!"He was reaming into me.

"Your name is James Buchanan Barnes."

"Shut up!"It almost seemed like he could start crying. I dropped my shield blood marring my face and my blonde hair. The blode hair he used to love to run his fingers in.

"I'm not gonna fight you. I love you."I said as he pushed me to the ground.

"You're my mission." He said and began hitting me over and over in the face. "You're my mission!" He exclaimed.

"Then finish it." I said coughing up blood. He hesitated with his fist this time stopping me. "Cause I love you and I'm with you to the end of the line."I choked out. It was almost going black in my mind when I fell in the water. I seemed to sink deeper and deeper when someone pulled me out of the water. I swear I knew it was Bucky. Even if I were a bit loopy I swear I heard him say something.

"I'm sorry Stephanie, but I can't be with you, not now at least."He said or at least I thought and then it went dark.

When I came too I was in a hospital bed fluids strapped to me and I noticed Sam next to me with the Troubleman soundtrack playing. I smirked.

"On your left." I whispered and he looked at me with a sad smile. I was sore and so Sam called the doctor.

"Ah Miss Rogers it's a pleasure to see you awake. I'm Dr. Sara Harding (Jurassic Park 2 reference) We were quite worried for you, you took quite a turn." She said and I shook her hand. she seemed to have a sad smile as Sam did.

"I'm glad that I'm here too, how bad is it doc? You and Sam here are looking at me like I died."

"Actually there is one bad thing that even your super body couldn't heal i'm afraid. One of the bullets pierced your ovary. We had to remove one of them and I'm afraid with one ovary it's nearly impossible for a woman to have a child. I'm sorry Miss Rogers." It saddened me but there was still a possibility to have children someday. Even if it was small.

"It's alright thank you for telling me. When can I go home?"I asked.

"Today actually you're healed brilliant and other than the thing we just discussed you're fine. Have a nice day." Sam helped me up and then left the room for me to get dressed. I noticed my shield near the door. I picked it up as Sam signed my discharge papers and I got into his car.

"Your friend Nick asked us to meet him at the cemetary with Natasha too." I nodded as he drove. There was a breeze and we stood near Nick's fake grave. It read:

NICHOLAS J. FURY

The path of the righteous man. Ezekiel 25:17

"So, you've experienced this sort of things before?" Nick asked me.

"You get used to it." I replied with a smirk.

"We've been data-mining HYDRA's files. Looks Like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm heading to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come." Any other time I would've loved to help but I knew I had to find Bucky.

"There's something I gotta do first." He nodded understanding.

"How about you, Wilson? I could use a man with your abilities."He looked at Sam.

"I'm more of a soldier than a spy." Sam replied.

"Alright then." He shook both of our hands. "Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me right here." He pointed to the graveston and then left.

"You should be honored, that's about as close as he gets to saying thank you." I looked behind me to see Natasha.

"Not going with him?" I asked.

"No."

"Not staying here?"

"I blew all my covers, I gotta go figure out a new one."

"That might take a while."

"I'm counting on it. That thing you asked for, I called in a few favors from Kiev."She handed me a file. It was written in Russian.

"Thank you." I replied.

"Will you do me a favor? Call that nurse."

"He's not a nurse." I pointed out.

"And you're not a SHIELD agent."

"What was his name again?"

"Aaron.  He's nice. Be careful, Stevie. You might not want to pull on that thread."I nodded and hugged her before she left. I opened it to see a picture of Bucky frozen but lower in the corner sat his old army picture. I ran a finger down the black and white replica of his face.

"You're going after him?"Sam said behind me.

"You don't have to come with me."I said looking at him.

"I know. When do we start?"Sam asked and I smiled. It would be a long journey but it would be worth it to find Bucky again. I had hope that he would remember me and I could be with the man I loved.


	24. The Scepter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers: Age of Ultron begins

Since I woke up and started looking for Bucky with Sam six months went by. I was called back to the Avengers. We were looking for Loki's scepter which had been taken by HYDRA and finally we were at the last base. Tony flew towards the large building on the outskirts of Sokovia.

"Shit!"Tony cursed over the comm. It almost distracted me and I could've fallen off my motorbike.

"Language! JARVIS, what's the view from upstairs?" I asked.

"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is well beyond any other Hydra base we've taken." The AI replied.

"Loki's scepter must be here. Strucker couldn't mount this defense without it. At long last." Thor added as Nat and I fought off some soldiers as I jumped off my bike throwing it at a truck.

"At long last is lasting a little long, boys." Nat said. Clint was also being heavily attacked and Arrows could only do so much.

"Yeah. I think we lost the element of surprise."Clint added.

"Wait a second. No one else is going to deal with the fact that Cap just said "language?"Tony asked.

"I know. It just slipped out." I admitted as Tony got into the building Clint was hit and I was knocked down.

"You didn't see that coming printessa?" The enhanced smirked and sped off.

"We have an enhanced in the field. He's a blur." I said. "All the new player's we've faced, I've never seen this. In fact, I still haven't." I admitted.

"Clint's hit pretty bad, guys. We're gonna need evac."Natasha ordered. Thor was with me and nodded.

"I can get Barton to the jet. The sooner we're gone the better. You and Stark secure the scepter." He said.

"Copy that." I replied. Soldiers and a tank began to file at us.

"It looks like they're lining up." Thor observed.

"Well, they're excited. It's not everyday a pretty american girl shows up let alone two." I joked as he smacked mjolnir on my shield creating a shockwave that knocked them all down.

"Find the scepter." Thor asked flying off.

"And for gosh sake, watch your language!"Tony laughed. I sighed.

"That's not going away anytime soon." I said and began approaching the building.

"We're locked down out here." Nat told me.

"Then find Banner, it's time for a lullaby." I slammed open the doors with my shield and began to walk through. I found Strucker cowering in one of his hallways ready to run. " Baron Strucker. Hydra's number one thug." I growled.

"Technically, I'm a thug for SHIELD." He quipped.

"Well then technically you're unemployed. Where's Loki's scepter?"

"Don't worry, I know when I'm beat. You'll mention how I cooperated, I hope."

"I'll put it right under illegal human experimentation. How many are there?" As fast as I got up here I was knocked down seeing the girl in red. "We have a second enhanced. Female. Do not engage." I said over the comm.

"You'll have to be faster than..."Strucker talked way too much so I bashed his head with my shield knocking him unconscious.

"You talk way too much. Guys, I got Strucker." I said.

"Yeah, I got...something bigger." Tony replied over the comm as I joined the others in the jet.

3rd Person POV

As Stevie headed back to the jet Tony went closer to the scepter. There were artifacts everywhere, the giant leviathan from the battle even his old armor that had been ripped away and then as if some sort of cloud went over him he was brought into a vision. His friends, his fellow avengers, they lay in front of him dead, and Stevie, loving stevie the infamous captain america he'd had a crush on as a teen was the first in front of him. He reached down to brush her blonde hair out of her face she grabbed his arm.

"You could've saved us Tony." She gasped out, the genius man leapt back after she let go her voice still pounding through his head. "Why didn't you do more?" Her voice echoed.

Meanwhile Pietro and Wanda Maximoff stood smirking as the elder sister had worked her magic on the man of iron. He flew out of the vision the scepter still in front of him. He called to his armor and a gauntlet piece flew over to him.

"We're just gonna let them take it?" Pietro asked as the man they'd protested for so long took the very thing that turned them into who they were.


	25. Party Disaster

As we returned to New York Maria debriefed me on the enhanced that we met in Sokovia.

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins. Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special."She explained.

"Their abilities?"I asked.

He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neural electric interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation."

"English?" I asked.

"He's fast and she's weird."

"Alright. Well, they're going to show up again."

"Agreed. File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts." I looked at her as if to say 'Seriously?' as I got into the elevator.

"Right. What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" I asked.

"We're not at war, Captain." She replied.

"They are." I said and the doors closed. I went down to my room. Sam still hadn't turned anything up on Bucky but I had other things I had to do. I had to go shopping with Nat for the party which I was a little reluctant to do but Tony insisted on giving me his credit card to pick out something pretty. I didn't know what his problem was I mean he was still with Pepper wasn't he? Then why was he spoiling me? The party was in three days and I was going to relish in the day off.

 

The party came around quickly I wore an older dress of mine.

I walked around for a bit and then I talked with Sam.

"Sounds like a hell of a fight, sorry I missed it." Sam said.

"If I had known it was going to be a firefight I absolutely would have called you." I replied with a smile.

"No, I'm not actually sorry. I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world. Your world is crazy." He was absolutely right.

"Be it ever so humble." I joked.

"You find a place in Brooklyn yet?"

"I kind of like it here."

"Well, home is home, you know?"

"And there's no place like it." I replied before going over to talk to some of the vets that I had invited some of the men who remembered when Captain America was just a USO girl gone commander of a high class Army team and Thor was there also holding a silver flask. "Can't a girl get a drink around here?" I asked Thor.

"Oh, no, no, no. See this, this was aged for a thousand years, in the barrels built from the wreck of Brunhilde's fleet, it's not meant for mortal men.

"What about mortal women?" I asked and he handed em a shot glass but another older veteran was also intrigued.

"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie. Stop trying to scare us. Come on." He said and Thor obliged. The poor old man was so out of it after wards and some of my other friends helped him out. I followed him to the door.

"Thanks boys. Make sure he get's back safe." I said and they nodded. Walking back to the bar I caught Bruce confused from an encounter with Natasha.

"It's nice." I said catching his attention.

"What, what, what is?" Bruce asked.

"You and Natasha."

"No, we haven't. That wasn't..."

"It's okay. Nobody's breaking any by-laws. It's just, she's not the most... open person in the world. But with you she seems very relaxed."

"No, Natasha, she...she likes to flirt."

"I've seen her flirt, up close. This ain't that. Look, as maybe the world's leading authority on "waiting too long", don't. You both deserve a win. Do something before you lose her." I said and walked off. After everyone left we sat around a living room table where Thor's hammer sat. Clint was twirling a drumstick complaining about how it was a trick.

"But, it's a trick!"Clint moaned.

"Oh, no. It's much more than that."Thor replied.

"Uh, "Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power!" Whatever man! It's a trick." Thus began to great competition to see who could hold the hammer as everyone went they looked at Natasha and I.

"Oh I don't need to answer that question."Natasha said and I stood up.

"Let's go, Stevie, no pressure." Tony said and I smiled. Perhaps I was worthy, maybe I wasn't but I could tell that Thor looked nervous.

"Come on, Cap."Rhodey said and I could feel the energy in the room. Clasping the hammer with both hands it was heavy at first but then something happened. I looked at Thor with a smirk. No longer was I the shy little girl from Brooklyn and now I was a phenomenon as the hammer rose in my hand Thor's face falling.

"Well, I guess I'm worthy but I like where I am right now, here you go Thor." I said and dropped it in his lap. Everyone was clapping and then suddenly I heard an ear piercing noise.

"How could you be worthy? Any of you?" It asked and I looked over to see a broken Iron Legionnaire walking brokenly towards us.

"Tony."I said.

"JARVIS." Tony said but it wasn't responding.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or...I was a-dream?" The bot asked.

"Reboot, Legionnaire OS, we got a buggy suit."Tony said but still no response.

"There was a terrible noise...and I was tangled in... in...strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy." My eyes widened.

"You killed someone?" I asked.

"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices." The thing replied.

"Who sent you?" Tony asked it and then it replayed Tony's voice on a recording.

"I see a suit of armor around the world." Tony had said in the recording.

"Ultron!" Bruce exclaimed. Who was, no what was Ultron?

"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this...chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission."It said.

"What mission?" Natasha asked.

"Peace in our time." It said again in Tony's voice and other Iron legion bots flew towards us. We fought hand in hand against him getting rid of the other bots.

"That was dramatic! I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve? With these? These puppets? There's only one path to peace: The Avengers' extinction." He said trying to fly out the window but I picked up Thor's hammer and threw it at the bot. Not realizing one had gotten away and heard the voice again. "I had strings, but now I'm free. There are no strings on me, no strings on me. "

We were inevitably out of our league, what had Tony created?


	26. Vibranium and Visions

After the party we re-grouped in the lab as Thor trailed after the bot that flew away.

"All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch." Bruce said.

"Ultron."I said.

"He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other."Natasha added.

"He's in your files, he's in the internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?"Rhodey asked.

"Nuclear codes." Maria observed.

"Nuclear codes. Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can."

"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead.'Natasha observed.

"He didn't say dead. He said extinct." I said.

"He also said he killed somebody." Clint said. What had he meant?

"But there wasn't anyone else in the building."Maria observed.

"Yes there was." Tony said and brought up a video of JARVIS' consciousness. It was shattered.

"This is insane."Bruce said.

"JARVIS was the first line of defense. He would've shut him down this means that Ultron is intensely powerful and took him down." I observed.

"No, Ultron would have assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy, this is...rage." We were all surprised as Thor flew in grabbing Tony by the throat.

"Thor!" I exclaimed.

"Woah, woah, woah! It's going around." Clint added.

"Come on. Use your words, buddy."Tony rasped out.

"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark."Thor growled.

"Thor! The Legionnaire!" I commanded and he let Tony go.

"Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again." Thor groaned. OF course we did and then as we started working on it Tony started to laugh. "You think this is funny?"

"No. It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so...is it so...it is. It's so terrible." Tony was going mad!

"This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand." Thor did have a point had tony not been so keen to experiment with the alien technology that was the scepter we wouldn't be in this place. Bruce and Tony had created a monster and we had to track it down.

"We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's...that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?" Tony asked recalling him sending the missle into the portal back all those years ago.

"Together." I said taking his hand.

"We'll lose."He said removing his hand from mine.

"Then we'll do that together, too. Thor's right. Ultron's calling us out. And I'd like to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller." I said and we got to work with paper files. A day went by Maria briefing me the entire way. The maximoff twins were with Ultron now and they were after something which included killing strucker. Finally as I opened a folder Tony swiped it from me.

"I know this guy. From back in the day. He operates off the African coast, black market arms." Really Tony?! "There are conventions, alright? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything." The man in the photo looked menacing. "He was talking about finding something new, a game changer, it was all very "Ahab." Tony explained. Thor pointed to a scar on Klaue's neck.

"This." Thor observed.

"Uh, it's a tattoo. I don't think he had it..." Tony was cut off by Thor.

"No, those are tattoos, this is a brand."Banner took the picture and ran the symbol on his neck through a scanner.

"Oh, yeah. It's a word in an African dialect meaning thief, in a much less friendly way."Banner said.

"What dialect?" I asked.

"Wakanada...? Wa...Wa...Wakanda."

"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..."Tony looked at me. It was impossible wasn't it?

"I thought your father said he got the last of it?" I asked.

"I don't follow. What comes out of Wakanda?" Bruce asked equally confused.

"The strongest and rarest metal on earth." Tony said pointing to my shield.

"Where is this guy now?" I asked and we tracked Klaue to a salvage yard. We had to get there quickly before Ultron did so we got suited up and into the jet. "It's going to be a fight down there isn't it?" I asked Tony.

"Isn't it always?" He quipped "Listen Stevie there's something I need to tell you, something I've been holding onto a long time."

"We're going to land Tony you can tell me later alright?" I said and he nodded. We landed quickly getting into the boat. Ultron and the twins were already there.

"Don't compare me to Stark! He's a sickness!" The bot shouted.

"Oh junior you're going to break your old man's heart." Tony said as we walked towards him.

"If I have to." Ultron replied.

"We don't have to break anything."Thor said trying to keep the peace.

"Clearly you've never made an omelet."He quipped.

"He beat me by one second."Tony added.

"Ah, this is funny, Mr. Stark. It's what, comfortable? Like old times?"The Maximoff boy said.

"This was never my life."Tony argued. I was aware that he had given up weapons manufacturing but he did cause deaths with those weapons. But these two had potential. They didn't have to work with this guy.

"You two can still walk away from this."I said almost begging.

"Oh, we will." The Maximoff girl Wanda gloated.

"I know you've suffered."

"Uuughh! Captain America. God's righteous woman, pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but..." He said and oh did I want to punch Ultron.

"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it."Thor growled.

"I think you're confusing peace with quiet." Ultron added.

"Yuh-huh. What's the Vibranium for?" Tony asked.

"I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan! " He said that was when the bots came out. I began to fight blocking bullets with my shield. Pietro Maximoff tried to grab Thor's hammer resulting in him crashing into some boxes.

"Stay down kid!" I growled. I turned around to see the girl and then something came over me. I fell back onto the floor.

* * *

 

_I was in an old brownstone in Brooklyn. It was still modern days but where was I? Two little kids, one girl and one boy came in._

_"Mommy! You're home!" The little dark haired girl said._

_"Were you saving the day again?" The little blonde boy asked._

_"Sarah, Howard give your mother room to breathe." The voice I heard made me gasp Bucky walked towards me. He still had his metal arm but it looked different, safe. "I have to get over there this arm is on the fritz again and Tony said he'd fix it up if it malfunctioned again." Bucky smirked his still slightly long hair falling into his face. I reached over to push it from his face. He felt so real._

_"Bucky?" I asked tears threatening to spill._

_"Yeah Punk?"He replied._

_"What is this? Where am I?" I cried._

_"Why are you crying Stevie? You're home I'm right here and so are our two beautiful children. I'm not going anywhere and neither are they. We're safe HYDRA, SHIELD no one wants us anymore. It's all over" I smiled. Could we ever really be this happy? Could it really ever be over?_

_"Cap come on wake up." I heard another voice and the scene around me began to fade._

_"No bring him back! Bring them back!"I said and was brought back to reality._

* * *

 

"Come on cap let's get you out of here." I looked up to see Clint.

"No let me go back." I cried weakly.

"It wasn't real Stevie, I'm sorry." He helped me up and we walked back to the jet. Tears still streamed down my face. Tony came in and looked alarmed.

"What did that witch do to her?" Tony asked.

"Made her think about Barnes I think, about them having a life together." Clint whispered thinking I couldn't hear him. I could but I ignored the whispers and the pitied look from Tony. He walked over to me and wrapped me in a blanket.

"I'm so sorry Stevie, I wish I could help you." Tony said kissing my forehead. I was so numb as were the others what had happened to us? What was going to happen to us? I didn't know.

"I'm taking us to a safe house." Clint said to Maria who came on the comm. We were destroyed and we needed time to regroup but Bucky was still in my mind. I wanted that future with him but then again what was I without a fight? Sleep overcame me soon enough after taking some sleeping pills Tony kept in the first aid. I just hoped that I wouldn't have any other dreams during that rest.


	27. Safe House

I had quickly fallen asleep after they brought me into the jet. When I woke again we landed on a farm?

"Hey cap wake up we're here." Tony said helping me up. I was still a bit in shock by the vision but followed nonetheless. The farmhouse we walked to was beautiful. Clint opened the door and walked right in and we followed suit.

"What is this place?" Thor asked.

"A safe house?"Tony asked.

"Let's hope. Honey, I'm home."Clint said and a woman, a very pregnant woman. "Hi. Company. Sorry I didn't call ahead."

"Hey."She replied kissing him. My hand reached for the dog tags I hid under my uniform. tony was suspicious.

"This is an agent of some kind."Tony explained.

"Guys, this is Laura." Clint introduced.

"I know all your names." She replied awkwardly.

"Ooh, incoming." Clint said and then I saw his children my mind going back to the vision of the children I had with Bucky. "Hey, buddy! How you guys doing? Ooh..." Clint was an amazing dad.

"These are...smaller agents."Tony explained.

"Look at your face! Oh, my goodness!" Clint cooed this was quite a different face on Barton.

"Did you bring Auntie Nat?"the little girl asked and Nat became apart of the secret too.

"We're sorry for barging in on you." I said to Laura.

"Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed." Tony added in.

"Yeah, well Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off SHIELD's files, I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low." Clint replied. It was fair enough. Thor went outside and so I followed.

"Thor."I said ad his attention flew back to me.

"I saw something in that dream. I need answers, I won't find them here." He replied and flew away. I decided to change into a t-shirt and some jeans and chop some wood. I needed to breathe. I needed to get my mind off of that vision but couldn't. Bucky's tags were now on full view for everyone.

"Stevie I still need to tell you something. Are you doing alright?"Tony asked.

"I don't know Tony, and now Thor's gone somewhere I just don't know anymore."I replied.

"Thor didn't say where he was going for answers?"

"Sometimes my teammates don't tell me things. I was kind of hoping Thor would be the exception."

"Yeah, give him time. We don't know what the Maximoff kid showed him."

"But you know what she showed me, the one thing I'll never be able to have. I dreamt that I was married to Bucky that we had children. But that will never be a possibility. and now we're torn apart.

"Seems like you walked away alright."

"Really Tony? I have lost everyone that I loved and that loved me how am I possibly okay?" I asked.

"Because I love you okay! That's what I wanted to tell you but then that witch made you think about Barnes. I'm always going to be second when it comes to him aren't I?"

"Tony you shouldn't be in love with me I lose everyone I love."

"But you don't have to be alone either."

"I'm sorry Tony but I don't feel the same."

"I understand that and I respect you but I will always carry something for you. As for Ultron we have to fight this, we have to end this."He said kissing my forehead. We broke apart.

"And I understand that we're going to have to fight but every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time." He seemed sad nodded. Laura walked over to us.

"I'm sorry. Mr. Stark, uh, Clint said you wouldn't mind, but, our tractor, it doesn't seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might..." She trailed off.

"Yeah, I'll give her a kick."Tony replied before he left he looked over at me. "Don't take from my pile." He said and walked to the barn. I went inside and when the door opened Nick came in with Tony. What the hell was Nick doing here? We all sat down at the table the kids in the living room.

"Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time. My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing." Nick explained.

"What about Ultron himself?"I asked.

"Ah. He's easy to track, he's everywhere. Guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans though."

"He still going after launch codes?"Tony asked.

"Yes, he is, but he's not making any headway."Nick added.

"I cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school on a dare."

"Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that."

"NEXUS? Ninety-five year old woman here, english?"

"It's the world internet hub in Oslo, every byte of data flows through there, fastest access on earth." Bruce said explaining that the codes kept being changed.

"Do we have an ally?"Nat asked.

"Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing. Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is." Nick added.

"I might need to visit Oslo, find our "unknown."" Tony said.

"Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that."Nat told Nick.

"I do, I have you. Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else. Here we all are, back on earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard."He replied and I knew where that was going.

"Stevie doesn't like that kind of talk."Nat smirked.

"You know what, Romanoff?"I snipped.

"So what does he want?"Nick asked me.

"To become better. Better than us. He keeps building bodies."I observed.

"Person bodies. The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outmoded. But he keeps coming back to it."Tony replied to me.

"When you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed."

"They don't need to be protected, they need to evolve. Ultron's going to evolve."Bruce realized.

"How?" Nick asked.

"Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?" Bruce asked and I remembered her telling Clint about her machine. We had to get to Seoul and fast.


	28. Seoul Shakedown

As we began to leave Clint's farm I talked with Tony.

"I'll take Natasha and Clint." I told him.

"Alright, strictly recon. I'll hit the NEXUS, I'll join you as soon as I can." He said and I nodded.

"If Ultron is really building a body..." I trailed off.

"He'll be more powerful than any of us. Maybe all of us. An android designed by a robot."

"You know I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me." I laughed sadly.

"I'll drop Banner off at the tower. Do you mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?" Nick asked.

"She's all yours, apparently. What are you gonna do?" tony asked him.

"I don't know. Something dramatic, I hope." He replied and left.

"Tony about earlier when we were chopping wood, I'm sorry I don't feel the same way." I said.

"It's alright Stevie, I felt like I've always crushed on that girl from the forties that my dad wouldn't shut up about. You made me think about pepper and I didn't give her the right chance. I'll see you again soon." He said and left. Now the real work was about to begin. clint flew us to Seoul. As I landed on the roof of Helen's Lab I grew more and more uneasy.

"Two minutes. Stay close." I said to Clint over the comm and headed into the lab. Inside I saw Helen with a wound to her abdomen. "Dr. Cho!" I exclaimed running over to her.

"He's uploading himself into the body."She said weakly.

"Where?" I asked.

"The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark." I nodded.

"But first I have to find it."

"Go."She rasped and I left the lab.

"Did you guys copy that?" I asked.

"We did." Clint replied.

"I got a private jet taking off, across town, no manifest. That could be him."Nat observed.

"There. It's the truck from the lab. Right above you, Cap. On the loop by the bridge. It's them. I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver."Clint said and I started running after the truck.

"Negative! If that truck crashes, the gem could level the city. We need to draw out Ultron." I said and jumped onto the truck.

"No, no, no, no, no. Leave me alone!" I heard Ultron shout from inside the truck.

"Well, he's definitely unhappy! I'm gonna try and keep him that way." I said to Clint.

"You're not a match for him, Cap."Clint replied.

"Thanks for the pep talk, Barton. " I said and then Ultron climbed onto the top of the truck.

"You know what's in that Cradle? The power to make real change, and that terrifies you." He said and I threw my shield at him.

"I wouldn't call it a comfort. " I replied fighting him. He then struck me with a blast and I flew into a train. Shortly after my shield came through the window.

"I have a window." Clint said.

"Negative I am still in the truck." Nat replied.

"Come on!" I shouted as they bickered.

"Cap! Keep him occupied!"Clint shouted as I fought with the robot.

"What do you think I've been doing?" I Exclaimed. Suddenly the twins came onto the train as well. They weren't fighting with Ultron.

"Please. Don't do this."He begged of them.

"What choice do we have?"Wanda said and he flew away.

"Nat, we gotta go."I heard Clint say to Nat as she got the cradle into the quinjet. But then Ultron made a grab for her. "Nat! Cap, you see Nat?"Cint asked me.

"If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!" I ordered.

"Do you have eyes on Nat?"He asked I didn't but we had to get the cradle out of here before it was too late.

"Go!" I shouted and he flew off. I then looked at the twins. "Civilians in our path." I said and Pietro speeded away. I then looked at Wanda. "Can you stop this thing?" I asked and she nodded. Suddenly we came to a stop before it was too late. I got out with Wanda.

"Firstly..."I said and smacked her across the head. Not too hard but hard enough to put across my anger. "Don't ever make me have that dream of him again." I growled and she nodded. Pietro speeded back over to us gasping for a breath.

"I'm fine. I just need a minute."He gasped out.

"I'm very tempted not to give you one." I replied.

"The Cradle, did you get it?" She asked.

"Stark will take care of it." I replied.

"No, he won't."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Stark's not crazy."

"He will do anything to make things right." My eyes widened.

"Stark, come in. Stark. Anyone on comms?" I asked.

"Ultron can't tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it. Where do you think he gets that?"She asked we needed to get back to the tower before it was too late and Tony created another monster.


	29. New Life

We sped like crazy to get back to New York but once we got there Tony and Bruce were already working on the cradle.

"Tony, I'm only gonna say this once." I insisted.

"How about "nonce"?" He asked.

"Shut it down!"I growled hand resting on my shield.

"Nope, not gonna happen."

"You don't know what you're doing!"I exclaimed looking at Banner. Hopefully him of all people would sympathize with me.

"And you do? She's not in your head?"Bruce growled. It was understandable that he was still angry at her for making him cause such destruction in Wakanda.

"I know you're angry."Wanda tried to reason.

"Oh, we're way past that. I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."Bruce said.

"Bruce, after everything that's happened..." I said trying to reason.

"That's nothing compared to what's coming!"Tony shouted.

"You don't know what's in there!" Wanda shouted.

"Tony, this isn't a game..." I trailed off trying to convince him to stop this.

"The creature...!"Wanda shouted and then her brother ran through ripping machinery apart.

"No, no. Go on. You were saying?" Pietro asked and as it it were a movie everything slowed down as a bullet was shot through the floor underneath him and the speedster fell through. His sister cried out to him and then Bruce grabbed her. Everyone was fighting and I was trying to get to the cradle to stop it when Thor crashed through the ceiling and hit it with his hammer.

"THOR!" I cried out as a body flew out of the pod and into the air. He stopped at the window. We all stood in silence waiting for him to do something.

"I'm sorry, that was...odd."The being said and looked to Thor. "Thank you."

"Thor, you helped create this?"I asked shocked at him.

"I've had a vision. A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life and at it's center is that."He pointed to the yellow gem sitting in the middle of the being's forehead.

"What, the gem?"Bruce asked.

"It's the Mind Stone. It's one of the six Infinity Stones, the greatest power in the universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."Thor replied and I was still confused.

"Then why would you bring it to..."I trailed off.

"Because Stark is right."My eyes widened.

"Oh, it's definitely the end times."Bruce groaned.

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron."

"Not alone."the vision said.

"Why does your "vision" sound like JARVIS?" I asked looking at Tony.

"We...we reconfigured JARVIS' matrix to create something new."He replied scratching the back of his neck.

"I really think I've had my fill of new." I groaned.

"You think I'm a child of Ultron?"The vision asked and I realized what I sounded like.

"You're not?"I asked surprised.

"I'm not Ultron. I'm not JARVIS. I am...I am."He replied.

"I looked in your head and saw annihilation."Wanda said.

"Look again."He insisted.

"Yeah. Her seal of approval means jack to me."Clint growled.

"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone, and they're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side..."Thor trailed off and I looked at Vision.

"Is it? Are you? On our side?"I asked.

"I don't think it's that simple."He replied.

"Well it better get real simple real soon." I looked at Clint as if to say calm it down.

"I am on the side of life. Ultron isn't, he will end it all."

"What's he waiting for?"Tony asked the Vision.

"You."He replied.

"Where?"Bruce asked.

"Sokovia. He's got Nat there too." Clint said.

"If we're wrong about you, if you're the monster that Ultron made you to be..." Bruce trailed off looking at the vision who had now created some sort of suit and cape for himself.

"What will you do? I don't want to kill Ultron. He's unique, and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net, we have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others. Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me. But we need to go."He finished talking and held up Thor's hammer and handed to him.

"Right. Well done."Thor said leaving. I looked to the others including the twins.

"Three minutes. Get what you need."I said and they nodded.I Went up to the lab with Tony who was getting his suit ready.

"No way we all get through this. If even one tin soldier is left standing, we've lost. It's gonna be blood on the floor."He said.

"I got no plans tomorrow night."I joked.

"I get first crack at the big guy. Iron Man's the one he's waiting for."

"That's true, he hates you the most."Vision said walking by us. We gathered together before getting in the jet.

"Ultron knows we're coming. Odds are we'll be riding into heavy fire, and that's what we signed up for. But the people of Sokovia, they didn't. So our priority is getting them out. " I explained to which everyone nodded. "All they want is to live their lives in peace, and that's not going to happen today. But we can do our best to protect them. And we can get the job done, and find out what Ultron's been building. We find Romanoff, and we clear the field. Keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we're monsters and we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right." I said and they nodded. I looked down at the dog tags around my neck. I would be coming back and I would find Bucky after this whole affair. We were not going to lose this time. As I got into the jet Wanda came up to me.

"Stevie, I wanted to apologize for what I made you see. I lost someone once and I'm sorry I made you feel the way I once did." Wanda said and I nodded.

"I thought my life was over when I woke up from the ice, the man I loved was dead, my friends were dead, but I have a family here, I found him again and I will bring him back to me. As for those visions I forgive you. Now we've got a city to get to." I said and she smiled. Let's go take down this metal hunk of junk.


	30. Battle For Sokovia

As soon as we arrived in the city we began to evacuate the people. But while there were still some civilians left the city began to rise and bots flew up from the water.

"We gotta get them out of here!"I exclaimed over the comm. I Was still with Wanda and Pietro. We began to fight the bots. I whipped my helmet off as the bot storm calmed for a moment and then more came to us.

"Cap, you got incoming." Tony said.

"Incoming already came in. Stark, you worry about bringing the city back down safely. The rest of us have one job: tear these things apart. You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed, walk it off. " I growled and began to fight again. I was running towards a bridge when I woman fell off in her car. I quickly pulled her out. "It's alright, I've got you." I said and pulled her up. As she ran another Ultron came at me.

"You can't save them all. You'll never..." I picked him up and threw him off of the bridge.

"You'll never what? You didn't finish!" I shouted laughing as Thor landed next to me. "What, were you napping?"I snapped. We began to fight together.

"Thor! You're bothering me." Ultron growled.

"Alright, we're all clear here."Clint said but I was still fighting.

"We are not clear! We are very not clear!" I growled.

"Alright, coming to you." Soon after Clint and Natasha joined the fight. She was backed into a corner by the ultron so I knew what I had to do.

"Nat!" I shouted and tossed her my shield.

"Thanks!" She said fighting the bot off. We were getting higher and higher. "The next wave's gonna hit any minute. What have you got, Stark?" I asked.

"Well, nothing great. Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear." Tony replied.

"I asked for a solution, not an escape plan."I said.

"Impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're going to have to make a choice." He wasn't wrong but I didn't want to let thousands of innocents die either.

"Cap, these people are going nowhere. If Stark finds a way to blow this rock..." Nat trailed off.

"Not 'til everyone's safe." I replied.

"Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there."

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it."

"I didn't say we should leave. There's worse ways to go. Where else am I gonna get a view like this?"She smirked and perhaps that was the way even if it meant the end of the avengers.

"Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better."I heard Nick's voice. Suddenly out of nowhere came the older helicarrier. " Nice, right? I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do."

"Fury, you son of a bitch."I said.

"Oooh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" HE asked.

"This is SHIELD?" Pietro asked speeding over to us.

"This is what SHIELD is supposed to be." I replied.

"This is not so bad." I smiled again at the boy.

"Let's load em up. I want every single person off the rock." I said and we began to load the relief boats. We were going to get everyone out even if it killed us. Once the SHIELD Relief including Rhodey and Sam came to help we headed to the church. Tony pointed to the core.

"This is the drill. If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose." Tony said as Ultron walked towards us.

"Is that the best you can do!?"Thor shouted out. the robots came back together adn began the charge at us. I looked at Thor angrily.

"You had to ask didn't you?" I snapped.

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted. All of you, against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?"Ultron cackled.

"Well, like the lady said. Together." Tony said and we fought them together. Pietro was speeding around, wanda tore them apart with her magic. Natasha was fighting them hand to hand as was Hulk, Thor and vision blasted them with the hammer and the mind stone and me I Slammed them around with my shield.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight..." Ultron said and Hulk smashed him away.

"They'll try to leave the city."Thor said.

"We can't let 'em, not even one. Rhodey!"Tony shouted and his friend went through the air blasting them.

"We gotta move out. Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats, I'll sweep for stragglers, be right behind you."I ordered.

"What about the core?" Clint asked.

"I'll protect it. It's my job."Wanda said and we nodded agreeing. I went with Clint and Pietro. I immediately noticed the ultron in the plane as Clint went for a little boy. Pietro and I looked at each other. I nodded and he grabbed me speeding over to them as I shielded us all. The bullets bounced off the shield the only thing was that the heat when one grazed me leaving a gash on my side.

"You alright?" I asked them all. Pietro looked incredibly paler then usual as did I according to Clint.

"Great let's get to the boat." Clint said.

"Not so great."Pietro said and I saw a bullet hole in his abdomen.

"Come on let's get you onto the boat." I said and we helped each other limping as fast as we could. I heard a scream and suddenly just barely as we got onto the boat the city began to plummet. Wanda must've believed her brother dead and went after Ultron. I watched from the boat with Clint and Pietro as the city went to pieces above the lake. Thor and Tony had done it. the people were safe. Vision soon enough put Wanda down on the deck of the helicarrier. "We did it." I said breathless.

"Cap you okay?" Clint asked.

"Not...really." I replied before everything went dark.


	31. Action in Lagos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beginning of Captain America: Civil War

Shortly after returning from Sokovia we got a new secure facility and assembled the new avengers which still consisted of myself, Natasha, Wanda, Pietro, Sam, and Vision. Now Sam, Tasha, Wanda, Pietro, and myself were back in the game in Lagos, where Rumlow who now called himself 'Crossbones' was doing deals with Terrorists. I sat in a window investigating the scene as Nat, Wanda, Sam, and Pietro did surveillance. I ran my hand through my new shorter blonde hair.

"Alright, what do you see?" I asked over the comm.

"Standard beat cops. Small station. Quiet street. It's a good target."Wanda observed.

"There's an ATM in the south corner, which means..."I trailed off.

"Cameras."

"Both cross streets one way?"

"So compromise the escape routes."

"Means our guy doesn't care about being seen he isn't afraid to make a mess on the way out. You see that ranger over half way up the block?" I asked.

"You mean the red one. It's cute."

"It's also bullet proof, which means private security, which means more guns, which means more headaches for somebody, probably us."Nat chimed in.

"You guys know she can move things with her mind, right?"Pietro asked.

"Looking over your shoulders needs to become a second nature you two."

"Anybody ever tell you, you're a little paranoid?" Sam asked.

"Not to my face. Why, did you hear something?"Nat asked and I groaned.

"Eyes on target, folks. It's the best lead we have on Rumlow in 6 months. I don't want to lose him." I said.

"If he sees us coming there won't be a problem, he kind of hate us." Sam said naturally not untrue.

"Sam, see that garbage truck? Take it." I commanded pointing it out.

"Give me X-ray. Max capacity The truck's loaded for max weight, and the driver's armed."

"It's a battering ram." Nat observed.

"Go now." I ordered eyes widening.

"Why?"Wanda asked.

"He's not aiming for the police." I said and jumped out the window. I chased towards the facility where several hostiles were gathered. They were heading for the Insitute for Infectious Diseases. "Body armor. AR15s I make 7 hostiles." I said.

"I make 5."Sam said knocking out two.

"Sam."Wanda called out.

"Four. Rumlow's on the third floor." Sam said and I jumped down to meet Wanda.

"Wanda. Just like we practiced back home." I told her.

"What about the gas?"She asked the mercenaries working for rumlow released a toxin in the air. I had a special respirator in my nose so it wouldn't affect me but she still had to get it out.

"Get it out."I said as she lifted me through the air and into the building. I quickly maneuvered through the mercenaries in there but couldn't catch Rumlow in time. He had grabbed a bio-weapon. "Rumlow has a biological weapon."I reported and began to chase after him. They had left some of their armor. "They ditch their gear. It's a shell game now. One of them has the payload." I said as the rest of the team began the pursuit. Finally Caught up with Rumlow.

"There you are, you bitch! I've been waiting for this!"He said and began to fight with me in hand to hand. His armor was difficult to handle but I ripped it off piece by piece. "This is for dropping a building on my face." He growled trying to stab me with a hidden blade. Finally cornering him he took off his mask and his face looked awful."I think it looks pretty good, all things considered."

"Who's your buyer?"I asked almost growling.

"He knew you. You pal, your buddy, your boyfriend, your Bucky." He said and I stopped.

"What did you just say?"I growled.

"He remembered you. I was there. He got all weepy about it. Till they put put his brain back in the blender. He wanted you to know something. He said to me, "Please tell Rogers," "When you gotta go, you gotta go. " And you're coming with me." He went to press a button but Wanda controlled the bomb but accidentally threw him into a building.

"Sam we need fire and rescue." I said over the comm before running into the building to get people out. When we did all that we could we left and I tried desperately along with Pietro to console her. It wasn't Wanda's fault. If anything I blamed myself. As we returned to base I kept thinking about Rumlow's words. I thought about Bucky in pain as they tortured him and looked at his dog tags running my fingers over and over the imprinted metal. How was I ever going to get him back to me?


	32. The Sokovia Accords

Shortly after we returned to the facility Wanda fell into a rut. Not even Pietro could comfort her. I walked into her room to check on her and she was watching the news.

"What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria?" The reporter asked and then I turned off the television. Wanda looked up at me sadly.

"It's my fault."She said.

"You know that's not true."I replied sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Turn the TV back on, they're being very specific."

"I should've grabbed that bomb as soon as I saw it. but then Rumlow said Bucky and I turned into that sixteen year old girl from Brooklyn again and people died and that's on me."

"It's on me."She argued.

"It's on both of us. This job... We try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody, but, we can't find a way to live with that, Next time... maybe nobody can be saved." I said and she nodded but then we were both scared as Vision came in through the wall.

"Vis, we talked about this." Wanda said scolding the android.

"Yes. But the door was opened so I assumed..." He trailed off and then looked at me. "Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving."

"Thank you. I'll be right down."I replied.

"I'll... use the door. Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest."

"You know who it is?" I asked quite interested.

"The secretary of State."He replied. Wanda and I both got up and joined the others in the conference room. Secretary Ross was an older, intimidating figure and I knew he didn't particularly like us because of his history with Bruce. But with the benefit of the doubt I would sit and listen to what he had to say.

"5 years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my batting swing. Turned out, it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass. I found something 40 years in the army never taught me: Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You've... fought for us. Protected us. Risked your lives. While a great many people see you as heroes. There are some... would prefer the word "vigilantes. "I wanted to roll my eyes but then looked at Tony as to say 'why is this man here?'

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?"Natasha asked.

"How about "Dangerous?" What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals, who routinely ignores sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind them." He brought up a map and zoomed into certain places. "New York. " Video of the Chitauri appeared. "Washington DC." My heart sank seeing the helicarriers fall remembering that I fought Bucky that day. "Sokovia." Pietro and Wanda looked at each other and held hands the brother and sister still sad about losing their home. "Lagos." I looked at Wanda and saw the quilt and fear in her eyes all over again.

"Okay. That's enough." I insisted and he shut the video feed off.

"For the past 4 years, you operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution." He threw a book like thing onto the table. "The Sokovia accords. Approved by 117 countries. It states, that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations Panel, only when and if that Panel deems it necessary." Necessary?! This was containment! This was not what we signed up to do. "

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that."I argued.

"Tell me captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" I wanted to growl he was still so sore about that Bruce thing wasn't he? "If I misplaced a couple of 30 mega ton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground." He explained.

"So, there are contingencies?"Rhodey asked.

"3 days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords. So, talk it over."

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Nat asked.

"Then you retire." He said before leaving. We entered our little living room area and I Sat down looking through the booklet. Sam and Rhodey were arguing over it and the fact that it was complete pardon my language bullshit.

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor which is one more than you have."Rhodey argued.

"I have a congressional medal too, that doesn't make me or Ross holier than thou." I argued backing up Sam.

"So, let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they lo-jack us like a bunch of common criminals?"Sam said.

"A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, "No, it's cool." Rhodey said.

"How long are you going to play both sides?"Sam asked.

"I have an equation."Vision said interrupting.

"Oh, this will clear it up."Sam groaned. In the 8 years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of noted enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commissive rate." I raised my eyebrows.

"Are you saying it's our fault?" I asked almost insulted.

"I'm saying there maybe a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight. Oversight is not an idea that could be dismissed out-of-hand."

"Boom."Rhodey said thinking he had won but I don't think he was right. Nat broke the silence.

"Tony, you're being uncharacteristically non-hyper verbal."Nat observed.

"That's because he's already made up his mind." I said.

"Boy, you know me so well. Actually, I'm nursing my electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain... says Humphrey." He went over to the sink to make coffee. "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" He asked and brought up a photo of a young man. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree. 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig. An Intel plan for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul. Before he park it behind then desk. See the world, maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam. Sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer, building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia. He want to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass. There's no decision making process here. We need to be put in check. Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, we're boundless, we're no better than the bad guys."HE argued.

"We tried so hard to get everyone out of that city to stop the robot that you created did everyone forget that?! This is about you fixing your guilt Tony, I know you too well. And if someone dies on your watch, you don't just give up." I snapped. Usually I was calm and peaceful but this was madness! How could we agree to this?!

"Who said we're giving up and who said this was to fix my guilt trip?"

"We are, for not taking responsibility for our actions. These documents just shifts the blame." I said.

"Sorry. Steve, that... That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the world security council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA." Rhodey said he had to bring up HYDRA didn't he?

"No, but it's run by people with agendas and agendas change." I said I didn't want to trust another organization when the last one I trusted was corrupt.

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing them."He replied putting a hand on my shoulder and sitting in front of me.

"Tony. You chose to do that. If we sign these, we surrender our right to choose. What if this Panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go. What if it's somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us. We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now, it's going to be done to us later. That's a fact. That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they will come for me and Pietro." Wanda said and I looked at her.

"We would protect you."Vision said taking her hand in his.

"Maybe Tony is right. If, we have one hand on the wheel that can still steer."Nat said. Really?

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago when they wanted to put you in a state penitentiary?" Sam asked.

"I'm just... playing the field. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win our trust back." She replied.

"I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?"Tony asked.

"Oh, I want to take it back."She groaned.

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. I'm impressed by what you did. Okay, case closed. - I win." Tony said and I was brought out of my thoughts when I got a text. It was from one of Peg's grandkids, she had gotten sick and wasn't getting any better. I asked Stephanie, named after me, to text me with any news as she got it.

'She's gone. In her sleep.' It read and I looked up at everyone who was looking at me. I was trying to keep tears from streaming down my face.

"I have to go." I said and walked out into the stairwell. Sam followed me.

"What happened?" He asked and I showed him my phone. "Stevie, I'm so sorry."He said and held me in his arms as he cried. "I'll go with you to London, I'm not signing these accords."

"Thanks Sam I really appreciate that."I said. Tomorrow I would be heading to London and would be a pallbearer for my best friend's funeral and I hated that I had to say that.


	33. London

Flying out to London was the easier part of it all. Giving myself the courage to go to my best friend's funeral was worse. The pallbearers were all men except for me and the tears streamed down my face as we carried her cold body into the church. I sat down in the front row with Sam who came as moral support and kept me from making a fool out of myself. Even going as far to pick out my simple black dress.

I watched as the pastor talked.

"And now, I would like to invite Aaron Carter, to come up and say a few words." I didn't notice until sam nudged his elbow into me and I looked up to see him my former neighbor who ended up being my security detail." He looked gorgeous in his simple black suit and tie.

"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD. But I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a so many photographs in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK, Aunt Peggy and Edgar Hoover, but my favorite was Aunt Peggy and Captain Stephanie Rogers. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But, it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related." He said looking at me. "I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage at a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said, compromise when you can. When you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move. It is your duty, to plant yourself like a tree, look them in they eye and say, " No... ...you move." He said and finished his eulogy I wanted to talk to him. but I stayed at the church after helping put Peggy's casket into the hearse. I knew that if I Went to the cemetery I would cry and no one would be able to stop me. Out of my eye as I leaned against a pew I saw Natasha walking towards me.

"She was the only person who truly supported me before the serum besides Bucky. When I came out of the ice, and I found out that she was alive, I was just lucky to have her. She was one of my best friends." I explained.

"She'd had you're back too." She replied.

"Who else signed it?"

"Tony, Rhodey, Vision."

"Clint?"

"Says he's retired."

"Wanda?"

"TBD. I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There is plenty of room on the jet. Just because it's the path of least resistance does mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together." I looked at her.

"What are we giving up to do it?"I snapped. "I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it." I said apologizing.

"I know." She replied and my eyes widened.

"Well, then. What are you doing here?"I asked.

"I didn't want you to be alone." She said and finally I was able to let the tears fall. Sobbing as she hugged me tight. "Shh, it's alright, it's alright." She said before dropping me off at the hotel where Sam was waiting along with Aaron. I walked and talked with him.

"My mom tried to talk me on enlisting, but... not aunt Peggy. She brought me my first knife holster." He grinned.

"Very practical."I replied with a smile.

"And cool."

"CIA has you stationed over here now?"

"In Berlin, joint terrorist and task force."

"Right. Sounds fun."

"I know, right?"

"I've been meaning to ask you. When you were spying on me from across the hall... You mean when I was doing my job? Did Peggy know?" I asked wondering greatly about it.

"She kept so many secrets. I didn't want her to have to keep one from you.

"Thanks for walking me back." I said.

"Sure."He replied and I wanted to hug him when Sam came in.

"Stevie. There's something you got to see." Sam said and I followed him to a television screen.

"A bomb hidden in a news van blasted through the UN building in Vienna."The news anchor said.

"Who's coordinating?" I asked Sam.

"More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead. Including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect, identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter soldier." I almost fainted. I had to find him. "The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations." I began to hyperventilate. Yes I didn't have asthma anymore but the muscle memory came when I got very worried.

"Stevie, breathe." Sam said and I nodded.

"I have to go to work."Aaron said and I just looked at Sam trying desperately to keep myself from breaking. I changed quickly out of my funeral clothes.

We then went to a little coffee shop to talk in hushed tones. But before we could I had to call Nat and make sure she was okay.

"Yeah?" She answered.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Ah, yeah, thanks. I got lucky. I know how much Barnes mean to you. I really do and you know that. Stay at home." I sighed. "You'll only make this worse for all of us. Please."She begged.

"Are you saying you'll arrest me?"

"No. But, someone will, if you interfere. That's how it works now."

"If he's this far gone, then... I should be the one to bring him in." I said.

"Why?"

"Because I'm the one least likely to die trying." I said and hung up. Sam looked at me at the coffee shop.

"Did she tell you to stay out of it?"Sam asked and I nodded. "Might have a point."

"He'd do it for me." I replied.

"In 1945, maybe." I looked at him with a death glare. "I just want to make sure we've considered all our options. The people that shoot at you, usually wind up shooting at me." He said and took a sip of his coffee. Aaron sat down next to us.

"Tips have been pouring in since the footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter soldier goes to their gym. Most of it is noise, except for this."He slid a file in front of me. "My boss expects a briefing and he pretty much knows, so... that's all the answer you're going to get." I smiled and took his hand.

"Thank you." I said with big pleading eyes.

"And you're going to have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight."I nodded and Sam and I got into the car. I opened the file. I had to get to Bucharest and fast before it was too late.


	34. Bucharest

As quickly as we could we flew to Bucharest. I suited up and was dropped off on the roof of the building they located Bucky to. I quickly got into teh apartment and found a little journal. It was almost like the one I kept at home. It had old pictures of me from my war propaganda but also one I hadn't seen in years. One of me fromt hat night at the World's fair. In that awful red dress with Bucky's arm around me.

"Heads up, Cap. German special forces approaching from the south." Sam said.

"Understood." I replied over the comm. Suddenly I heard the door shut behind me. I turned around to see Bucky. "Do you know me?" I asked.

"You're Stephanie. I read about you at the museum." He replied.

"They've set the perimeter."Sam called out.

"I know you're nervous. And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying." I said sternly.

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore." He replied, his eyes was so sad.

"They're entering the building."Sam said.

"Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive."

"That's smart. Good strategy." He said.

"They're on the roof. I'm compromised."Sam said and I knew he had to fly off. I looked at him with Sad eyes.

"This doesn't have end in a fight, Bucky, please." I said and then someone thing happened. He took my face in his hands and kissed me for a moment before breaking away.

"It always ends in a fight."He said.

"You pulled me from the river. You said you'd come back for me someday. Why?" I wanted to cry but couldn't.

"I don't know." He replied.

"Yes, you do." I insisted This was when the tear gas came through the window. Bucky knocked the first one out and then I shielded the other. He locked the door before hitting down a guy that came through the window. "Bucky stop!" I said. "You're gonna kill someone." I said and he knocked me down before knocking a hole into the floor.

"I don't do that anymore." He replied before throwing his bag out the window. I followed him fighting the officers as we got down.

"Sam, southwest rooftop." I said and he gave me a lift. I saw Bucky fighting a guy in a catsuit?!

"Who the hell is the other guy?" Sam asked.

"I'm about to find out."I replied and began following them I was trying to get this guy off of Bucky but it was no use. I got into a car but he got a grip on me. then I saw Bucky throw a grenade of some sort. "Sam!" I shouted before being thrown from the car and began to fight the catman. "I can't shake him he's too good!" And then suddenly Rhodey was there pointing guns at us.

"Stand down!" He said and I put my hands up. "Congratulations Cap, you're a criminal." I stood up wanting to go to Bucky as he was being pushed into the drive but I was grabbed by an officer. After rudely being told to remove my suit I kept my leather jacket, and wore a white t-shirt and denim jeans along with Bucky's dog tags. As we rode to Berlin I held them in my hands rubbing my fingers over the metal indentations. Sam was the first one to break the silence.

"So, you like cats?" Sam asked.

"Sam."I growled glaring at him.

"What? Dude shows up dressed like a cat and you don't wanna know more?"

"Your suit. Vibranium?"I asked him.

"The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generations. A mantle passed from warrior to warrior. And now because your friend murdered my father, I also wear the mantle of king. So I ask you, as both warrior and king, how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?"He threatened and I slipped the dog tags back onto my neck. As we walked into the office building I saw Bucky in a glass cell. I looked at him with sad eyes and he looked back. I wanted to cry. But instead I regained my composure and looked at the little man standing with Aaron.

"What's going to happen to him?" I asked.

"The same thing that ought to happen to you Miss Rogers, Mr.Wilson. Psychological evaluation and extradition." He said.

"This is Everett Ross, deputy task force commander."Aaron introduced.

"What about our lawyer?" Sam asked.

"Lawyer, that's funny. See to their weapons are placed in the lock up. Oh, we'll write you a receipt."He said before beginning to walk.

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that." Sam growled.

"You will be provided with an office instead of a cell. And do me a favour, stay in it." Ross said.

"I'm not intending on going anywhere."T'Challa said.

"For the record. This is what making things worse looks like." NAt said as she joined us.

"At least he's alive." I argued. Now I just needed to get the both of us. ut what I didn't count on was Tony being there.


	35. Battle in Berlin

I walked into the meeting room to see Tony on the phone with what appeared to be Secretary Ross.

"Consequences? You'll bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that because I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir. "He said hanging up and looking at me. "Oh that was just Secretary Ross, he wants both you and Sam prosecuted. I had to give him something."

"I'm not getting that shield back am I Tony?" I asked.

"Technically it's the government's property now. The wings too." Nat snipped back.

"That's cold." Sam added.

"Warmer than jail!" Tony shouted leaving the room. Sam sat down somewhere and I sat holding Bucky's tags in my hands. I looked up at the screen to see him in that awful glass cell. I was focused only on that until I heard the voice behind me. "Hey, you want to see something cool?" It was Tony so I nodded. "I pulled something from dad's archives. Well, timely." He handed me a set of fountain pens. "FDR signed the Land-Lease bills with these in 1941. Provided support to the allies when they needed most."I smirked.

"Someone said it brought our country closer to war." I replied.

"See if not for these, you wouldn't be here. I'm trying to, what do you call it? a... an olive branch." He replied sitting down.

"Is that what you call it? Is Pepper here? I didn't see her."

"We're still taking a break. It's nobody's fault."

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I didn't know."

"Few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits. Then, we had to muck up Hydra. And then Ultron, my fault. And then, and then, and then. I never stopped. Cause the truth is I don't wanna stop. I don't want to lose her. I thought maybe the Accords can split the difference. In her defense, I'm her handful. Yet, dad was a pain in the ass, but he and mom always made it work." He said standing up. I stood up too.

"You know, I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single and flirty."

"Oh really? You two know each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times. Made it hard not to have a crush on you."

"I don't mean to make things difficult." I defended.

"I know. Because you're a very polite person."He replied.

"If I see a situation pointed south, I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could."

"No, you don't."

"Okay, no, I don't. Sometimes..."

"Sometimes I don't know whether to kiss you or kick your ass. But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Stevie. So before other things happen that can't be undone, please... sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych center instead of a Wakanda prison." I looked up at him a smile on my face.

"You would do that for me?" I asked.

"I know how much he means to you and I'm not saying it's impossible."

"But there would have to be safeguards." I argued.

"Sure. Once we put out the PR fire, these documents can be amended. I filed a motion to have you and the twins reinstated."

"The twins what do the twins have to do with any of this?" I asked the pen now in my hand instead of Buck's dog tags.

"They're fine. They're confined in a compound currently. Vision's keeping them company." He replied and I grew angry.

"Oh God, Tony! Every time. Every time I think you're seeing things the right way..."

"What? It's a 100 acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There's worse ways to protect people."

"Protection? Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment, Tony."

"They're not US Citizens."

"Oh, come on, Tony."

"and they don't grant visas to Weapons of Mass Destruction."

"They're kids! They have powers they can't control, Wanda more than Pietro because of what your weapons did to their family! I got to know them. They're like siblings to me and you've trapped them both because you're afraid of Wanda's power!" I shouted.

"GIVE ME A BREAK! I'm doing what has to be done ...to save us something worse."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that." I looked at the paperwork again and the pen ."I'd hate to break up the set." I said putting the pen back and left the room to join the room Sam sat in. I rubbed the indentations in the dog tags as I watched the camera screen. Tears threatened to fall.

"Hello, Mr. Barnes. I've been sent by the United Nations to evaluate you. Do you mind if I sit?" The doctor sat down. "Your first name is James?" I saw Aaron walk in

"The receipt for your gear."He said and handed a paper to Sam.

"Bird costume? Come on." Sam groaned.

"I didn't write it." I looked at Aaron who looked at me sadly and then the screen blew up so I could see Bucky clearly.'Thank you' I mouthed and he nodded. I sat down and began to watch the feed.

"I'm not here to judge you. I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James?" Bucky remained silent. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."

"My name is Bucky."He groaned and a tear slipped from my eye. I quickly wiped it away before anyone could see. And then I looked at that picture the task force put out.

"Why would the task force release this photo to begin with?" I asked Aaron.

"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can?"He replied.

"Right. It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. You've got 7 million people looking for the Winter soldier."

"You're saying someone framed him to find him."

"Stevie, we looked for the guy for 2 years and found nothing."

"We didn't bomb the UN. That turns a lot of heads."

"So? That doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him a guarantees that we would." Aaron said and realized his words.

"Yeah." I replied and then the power went out. I looked at Aaron.

"Sub level 5 east wing." He said and I nodded. Sam and I rna in that direction stopping when we saw the dead guards. And then I saw the doctor.

"Help someone please help me!" He cried out and I lifted him up by the shirt collar.

"Who are you?! What do you want?!" I exclaimed.

"To see an empire fall." He said and then Bucky came storming in hitting Sam before coming after me. I fought him not holding back and then he slammed in into the elevator the doors bending and then I fell into the shaft. It hurt like hell that was for certain. But as soon as I caught my breath I climbed up the shaft and towards the roof. I saw Bucky in the helicopter that was up there. Running towards it he stuck his metal hand out and wrapped it around my throat.

"Bucky...please..." I groaned out before fighting to get loose. The helicopter so I pulled it back knocking the blades into the building and nearly losing my head in the process. The helicopter went into the water and I groaned. I wasn't going to lose him again so I dove into the river. Swimming down I pulled him from the helicopter and brought him up to the edge. I performed CPR and made sure to get the water out of his lungs and get him breathing again. He was back but I needed to get him out of here. With Sam's help we found a getaway car and made it to an abandoned warehouse. I placed Bucky's metal arm into a press. Now I just waited for him to wake up and prayed that my Bucky was back again.


	36. The Others

In the abandoned warehouse I sat near a crack in the wall looking as the choppers flew around Berlin.

"Hey Cap!" I turned around to see Sam.

"What's wrong Sam?" I asked anxiously.

"He's up." I nodded and ran into the room where Bucky sat.

"Stevie." Bucky groaned but before I could walk up to him :I needed to know that he wasn't still in a trance.

"Which Bucky am I talking to?" I asked.

"Your mother's name is Sarah. You used to wear newspapers in your shoes and I was going to propose to you once we got home from the war." I nearly passed out at the last statement.

"You can't read that in a museum." I said smiling walking towards him and holding his hand. .

"Just like that, we're suppose to be cool?"Sam asked me looking wearily at my old flame.

"What did I do? Did I hurt you Stevie?"He asked me seeing the bruise mark on my neck.

"I'm okay but you did enough." I replied looking at him blue eyes meeting piercing blue.

"I knew this would happen. Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there. All he had to do is say the god damn words."He groaned looking at me sadly.

"Who was he?"

"I don't know."

"People are dead. The bombing. The set up. The doctor did all that just to get 10 minutes with you. I need you to do better than "I don't know." Please Buck." I looked at him lovingly like I always did.

"He wanted to know about Siberia. Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where."

"Why would he need to know that?"

"Because I'm not the only Winter soldier." He said and began to explain how it happened. The serum, the team, their anger, their mutiny, and worst of all that they were alive and still on ice.

"Who were they?" I asked now standing up after getting him arm out of the press.

"The most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in the HYDRA history. And that was before the serum." Bucky explained.

"They all turned out like you?"Sam asked.

"Worse."

"And the doctor, can he control them?"I asked.

"Enough."Bucky replied.

"He said he wanted to see an empire fall."

"With these guys he can do it. They speak 30 languages, can hide in plain sight, infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize, They can take a whole country down in 1 night. You'd never see them coming."

"This would be a lot easier a week ago. If we call Tony...."Sam trailed off I ran a hand through my hair.

"Oh, he won't believe us." I groaned.

"Even if he did. Who knows if the Accords will let him help."

"We're on our own."

"Maybe not. I know a guy."

"Go make your calls, we'll be here."

"Last time I saw you I tried to kill you." Bucky said as I sat in front of him.

"You didn't though you saved my life and now we're here." I replied and held the tags out in front of him. "I've never taken them off you know. I have loved you still over all these years."

"I don't deserve you anymore Stevie."

"But I need you more than you know, just please let me in even a small bit." I said pressing my forehead against his. Suddenly his lips brushed against mine and I felt the need to go deeper. "I love you I always have."I said breathless from the kiss.

"I love you too, but we have to go now." He said and I nodded. Sam had found a blue VW bug and we made our way to a rendezvous spot I had set up with Aaron who managed to get our gear.

"I'm not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car." He said smirking.

"It's low profile." I replied.

"Good, 'cause this stuff tends to draw a crowd." He lifted up the trunk of his Audi to reveal mine and Sam's gear.

"It looks like I owe you again."

"I'm keeping a list. You know, he kind of tried to kill me."

"Sorry, I'll put it on the list. They're going to come looking for you."

"I know."

"Thank you, Aaron." I said and then he tried to kiss me. I put my hand up.

"I'm sorry I'm kind of..." I nodded to the car.

"I get it you lost each other for seventy years. Just know I'll always be there for you."

"And I appreciate that I have to go." I said and gave him a hug. After getting back to the car we drove to the airport. When I saw Clint I jumped out of the car and hugged my old friend tightly.

"Cap." He said.

"You know I wouldn't have called If I had any other choice." I replied smiling.

"Hey man, you're doing me a favor. Besides... I owe a debt." I looked over at Wanda.

"Thanks for having my back."I smiled at him.

"It was time to get off my ass."Wanda replied and I hugged her too.

"You too Piet, we'll someone with your speed."

"Well Stark wanted to lock my little sister in her room, I couldn't stand for that."He said smirking.

"By twelve minutes!" She groaned and I looked at Clint.

"About our other recruit?" I asked.

"He's ready to go. I had to put a little coffee in him, but... " Clint slid the Van door opened to reveal Scott Lang who jerked awake. "He should be good."

"What timezone is this?" He asked.

"Come on. Come on."Clint said and helping him out of the car.

Captain America." He said.

"Mr. Lang." I replied and he began to shake my hand.

"It's an honor. I'm shaking your hand too long. Wow. This is awesome, I had the biggest crush on you when I was a kid. Captain America."

"Thank you." I said he then looked at Wanda and Pietro.

"I know you two too, you're great."She smiled. "Jeez. Look, I wanted to say. I know you know a lot of super people, so... Thinks for thanking of me." Scott said knowing he messed up before looking over at Sam.

"What's up tic-tac?" Sam asked.

"Good to see you. Look. What happened last time was a..."

"It was a great audition, but it'll... it'll never happen again."

"Did he tell you what we're up against?" I asked Scott.

"Something about some... psycho assassins." He replied and I nodded.

"We're outside the law on this one. So, if you come with us, you're a wanted man."

"Yeah, well, what else is new?"

" We should get moving."Bucky said and I nodded.

"I got a chopper lined up." Clint said and I agreed before hearing the alarm.

"They're evacuating the airport." Bucky said and I groaned.

"Stark."I said.

"Stark?" Scott asked and I nodded again.

"Suit up." I said and we began to suit up to fight our friends. and as much as I didn't want to I knew I would have to no matter the consequences.


	37. Airport

We walked into the airfield and to the helicopter when Tony and Rhodey shot at the helicopter before landing in front of us.

"Wow, it's so weird how you run into people at the airport. Don't you just feel weird?"Tony asked Rhodey.

"Definitely weird."Rhodey replied. I wanted to take my helmet off and take to Tony rationally but that wasn't an option.

"Please, hear me out, Tony. That doctor, the psychiatrist, he's behind all of this." I explained and then T'challa came onto the scene.

"Captain." He said.

"Your highness."I replied with a curtsy.

"Anyway. Ross gave me 36 hours to bring you in. That was 24 hours ago. Can you help a brother out?"Tony asked me.

"You're after the wrong guy Tony." I replied.

"And your judgment is askew! Your boyfriend killed innocent people yesterday."

"And there are 5 more super soldiers just like him. I can't let the doctor find them first, Tony. I can't." Nat walked up to us.

"Stephanie. You know, what's about to happen. Do you really want to punch your way out of this one?"She asked.

"All right, I've run out of patience. Underoos!" Tony exclaimed and suddenly a boy in spandex came and grabbed my shield and tied my hands up in some kind of webbing?! "Nice job, kid."

"Thanks. Well, I could've stuck the landing a little better. It's... just the new suit... Well, it's nothing, Mr. Stark It's-It's perfect, thank you." The boy replied.

"Yeah, we don't really need to start a conversation." I growled.

"I'm the villain?! When you brought a kid into this?!" I exclaimed.

"Okay. Cap... Captain. Big fan, I'm Spider-Man."He said.

"Yeah, we'll talk about it later. Just... "Tony trialed off.

"Hey, everyone."

"... good job."

"It looks like you've been busy." I snapped.

"And you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. Rescuing Wanda and Pietro from a place they don't even want to leave. A safe place. I'm trying to keep... I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart."He replied and suddenly I let myself know that wasn't feeling sorry for Tony anymore.

"You did that when you signed."

"Alright, I'm done. You're gonna turn Barnes over and you're gonna come with us. NOW! Because it's us! Or a squad of JSOC, guys, with no compunction about being impolite." I wasn't listening as I heard Clint's voice.

"We found it. Their quinjet's in hanger five, north runway." Clint said.

"Alright, Lang." I said in my comm and he began to grow from my shield and took it from the boy as Clint shot an arrow to break the webing on my hands.

"I believe this is yours, Captain America." He said handing me my shield.

"Thank you." I said and began to run after T'challa who was going after Bucky.

"Move, Captain."He growled.

"Not a chance."I replied.

"I won't ask a second time." As we fought and he made a scratch in my shield with his vibranium claws I heard Rhodey behind me.

"Sorry, Cap. This won't kill you but it ain't gonna tickle either." Rhodey said and I turned around to face him after sending pietro after T'challa. Needless to say his speed came quite in handy. Getting Rhodey distracted I heard Scott.

"Captain, heads up!" He said throwing a shrunken down truck at me. "Throw it at this." He said showing me a small blue disc and I nodded. He threw the disc in the air and then I threw the truck as it landed it erupted into flame. "Oh, man. I thought it was a water truck. Uh... sorry." He said and I nodded. We all got back together running towards the quinjet.

"Alright. There's our ride."I said but suddenly we were stopped by Vision.

"Stephanie. I know you believe what you're doing is right. But, for the collective good, you must surrender now." He ordered both teams lined up.

"What do we do, Cap?" Sam asked me. I looked to him and then to Bucky who was right beside me.

"We fight."I said and we charged at Tony's team. I fought Tony myself. "Tony please stop this madness! This isn't me driving us apart it's you."

"I'm only doing this for you! Let Barnes go! He can't be helped!"

"I'm sorry about this." I said and smacked him with my shield we were surrounded. I then began to fight the spiderman. I threw my shield at him.

"That thing does not obey the laws of physics at all." He said.

"Look kid. There's a lot going on here that you don't understand."I explained.

"Stark said you'd say that." He said and then webbed my legs. I quickly ripped it apart. "He also said to go for your legs!"

"Did Stark tell you anything else?" I asked.

"That you're wrong. You think you're right. And that makes you dangerous." I threw my shield at him brekaing the thing above him. He held it up.

"I guess he had a point. You got heart, kid. Where're you from?" I asked.

"Queens." My heart broke he was from the same area of New York as Erskine my oldest friend and believer.

"Brooklyn."I replied before running towards the jet and Bucky.

"That guy's probably in Siberia by now." Bucky said.

"I'm gonna draw all the fliers. I'll take Vision." Sam said.

"You get to the jet." I said To Bucky.

"No, you get to the jet!"He replied.

"Both of you! The rest of us aren't getting out of here. As much as I hate to admit it, if we're gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it." Sam said. Was he right?

"He's right, we'll get you out of here if something happens to us, it's on us." Pietro said over the comm.

"This isn't the real fight, Stevie." Bucky said and I nodded knowing what I had to do.

"Alright, Sam, what's the plan?"I asked via the comm.

"We need a diversion, something big."Sam replied.

"I got something kind of big, but I can't hold it very long. On my signal, run like hell. And if I tear myself in half, don't come back for me." Scott said.

"He's tearing himself in half?"Bucky asked looking at me like I was crazy.

"You're sure about this Scott?" I asked.

"I do it all the time. I mean once...in a lab. And I passed out." He said and then suddenly Scott was huge!

"I guess that's the signal." Bucky said and we began to run towards the quinjet. A piece of debris was falling down but we slid through in time. Natasha was waiting for us.

"You're not gonna stop." She said.

"You know I can't Nat, you promised you would help me once I found him, help me, please." I begged.

"I'm sorry for doing this." She said and looking back we saw Panther who was being shot at by her widow bites.

"Thank you." I said before getting in the jet with Bucky. I felt horrible about leaving everyone else behind. Piet and Wanda would be safe if he ran her out of there but I didn't know if they would leave the others either. The doctor needed to be stopped no matter the cost.


	38. Always Worth It

As we flew through the sky towards Siberia I looked behind me. Bucky looked upset.

"What's going to happen to your friends?" He asked me.

"I don't know, but whatever it is I'll deal with it."I replied.

"I just don't know if I'm worth all this Stevie." I sighed placing the jet on autopilot before unbuckling and going to stand in front of him. I knlet to meet his eyes.

"What you did, who you were all of those years, it wasn't you." I said taking his hands in my own.

"I know, but I did it." His voice broke and I went and sat on his lap straddling him.

"When I saw you that day two years ago, I didn't care that you were trying to kill me. I was so lost when I saw you fall...when I woke up in a whole nother time. But then you were back in my life again. I don't ever want to let you go again. You will always be worth this to me." I said and taking his face in my hands I kissed him passionately. Soon enough our tongues were fighting for dominance. As we separated we were both breathless. I leaned closer so our foreheads were touching. "You're always worth it." I whispered before placing a light kiss on his stubbly cheek. After that I Went back into the pilot's seat and finished our ride to the Siberian HYDRA base.

* * *

 

Tony's POV

After the fiasco at the airport, Rhodey had been paralyzed. Better yet I had received a notice on a bulletin from the Berlin Police. On the chopper to the Raft I watched as FRIDAY explained everything to me.

"The Task Force called for a psychiatrist as soon as Barnes was captured. The UN dispatched Dr. Theo Broussard from Geneva within the hour. He was met by this man."The AI said.

"Did you run a facial recognition yet?" I asked her.

"What do I look like?"

"I don't know, but I'm picturing a red head or a blonde."

"You must be thinking I'm some other women."

"I must be."

"The fake doctor is actually Colonel Helmut Zemo Sokovian intelligence."

"Of course he is." I groaned.

"Zemo ran EKO Skorpion, a Sokovian covert kill squad."

"So, what happened to the real Broussard?"

"He was found dead in a Berlin hotel room. The police also found a wig and facial prosthesis approximating the appearance of one James Buchanan Barnes."

"Son of a bitch. Stephanie was right." Well of course she was! I thought. Sghing I took down my holoscreen. "Get this to Ross."I ordered FRIDAY.

"Yes, Boss." She said before signing off. Through the rain I watched as the prison rose from the ocean.

"This is the Raft prison control. You are clear for landing, Mr. Stark." The tech said and we slowly descended. Exiting the chopper I was met by Ross.

"So? Did you get the files? Let's reroute the satellites, and start facial scanning for this Zemo guy."I told him.

"You seriously think I'm gonna listen to you even after that fiasco in Leipzig? You're lucky you're not in one of these cells."He groaned before leading me through to the cells. Looking at the surveillance screen I saw the cells holding Wanda and Pietro. His feet were weighed down by some special shackle like device and they had her in a straight jacket with a control collar. What had I done? Walking In Clint's cell was the first one I saw.

"The futurist, gentlemen! The futurist is here! He sees all! He knows what's best for you, whether your like it or not." Clint hollered.

"Give me a break, Barton. I have no idea they'll put you in here, come on." I said and he spit at me.

"Yeah, well, you knew they'll put us somewhere, Tony."Clint growled.

"Yeah. But, not some super max floating ocean pokey. You know, this place is for maniacs. This is a place for..." I trailed off.

"Criminals? Criminals, Tony. I think that's the word you're looking for. Right? It ain't used to mean me, or Sam, or Wanda, or Piet. But, here we are."

"'Cause you broke the law."

"Yeah."

"I didn't make you."

"La la la."

"You read it, you broke it."

"La la la la la."

"Alright, you're all grown ups. You got a wife and kids. I don't understand. Why didn't you think about them before you choose the wrong side?"

"I was thinking about them Tony, if we were contained and I couldn't help my own family if something happened you'd be damned sure I'd rather be here then where I could hurt them." I couldn't listen to him anymore so I walked away. "You better watch your back on this guy. Chances are he's gonna stab you in it!" Clint said. I walked past the next cell.

"Hank Pym said you could never trust a Stark." The man said.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Come on." He groaned before sitting back down. Sam's cell was next.

"How's Rhodes?"Sam asked. Still clearly guilty about what happened to Rhodey.

"We're flying him to Columbia Medical tomorrow. So... Fingers cross. What do you need? They feed you yet?" I asked amd then he turned around. A large bruise encompassed his left cheek.

"You're the good cop now?"

"I'm just a guy who needs to know where Stephanie went."

"Well, you better go get a bad cop, because you would have to go Mark Fuhrman on my ass to get information out of me!" Sam said.

"Oh, I just knocked the 'A' out of their 'AV'. We got about 30 seconds before they realized it's not their equipment." I said and he just looked at me to say 'seriously?' "Just look. Because that is the fellow who is suppose to interrogate Barnes." I revealed the image of the dead doctor. "Clearly, I made a mistake. Sam, I was wrong."

"That's a first."

"Steph is definitely off the reservation and she's about to need all the help she can get. We don't know each other very well. You don't have to..."

"Hey. It's alright. Look, I will tell you. Only because I know how much you care about her. But you have to go alone and as a friend." I smiled at the Falcon.

"Easy." I replied and he gave me what I needed to know. Leaving for the helicopter Ross grilled me.

"Stark, did he give you anything on Rogers?"Ross asked.

"No, he told me to go to hell. I'm going back to the compound instead. But, you can call me anytime. I'll put you on hold, I like to watch the line blink."I smiled and flew off. After I Was a few miles away from the prison I put on the suit. Sam was right I had to come in peace of Stevie would never believe me. I just hoped that I wasn't too late, and that she would forgive me too.


	39. Siberia

As we landed a memory popped into my head.

"Hey do you remember that time we had to ride home from Rockaway beach in the back of that freezer truck?" I asked with a chuckle. "You held onto me for dear life so I wouldn't get sick."

"Was that the time we used our money to buy hot dogs?" Bucky replied with a smile.

"You blew three bucks trying to win me a bear."

"You were so happy when I did though."

"I still have it, in my apartment in New York. I never forgot about you, The one person I was so desperate to hold onto."

"In some ways I never forgot about you either Stevie, no matter how many times they wiped my mind I felt this hole, this void that couldn't be filled until I saw you on that bridge."

"It's alright, that's over now, we'll fix this and we'll run away somewhere. I'm never letting you go again." I said and he pressed his lips to mine quickly before we left the plane. "He can't have been here more than a few hours." I said.

"Long enough to wake them up." Bucky replied. As we made our way into the base everything was quiet. The elevator closed behind us and then a noise began to erupt from it. I placed my shield in front of us Bucky aiming his gun at the doors. And then Tony walked out.

"You seem to be on the defensive Steph." Tony said letting his mask come away.

"Well it's been a long day." I replied walking closer to him. Bucky wasn't letting his guard down.

"At ease, soldier. I'm not currently after you."Tony told him.

"Then why are you here?" I growled.

"Maybe, your story is not so crazy."

"Maybe."

"Ross has no idea I'm here, I like to keep it that way. Otherwise, I got to arrest myself."

"Well, that sounds like a lot of paperwork." I laughed and then hugged my friend. "It's good to see you, Tony. Thank you for finally believing me."

"I should've believed you the whole time I'm sorry Steph."

"Me too." Bucky was still tense holding up his gun.

"Manchurian candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here, you can drop it."He said and as I nodded to Bucky he lowered the gun. We quickly made our way closer to the room where the soldiers were held. "I got heat signatures."Tony observed.

"How many?"I asked.

"Uh, one." The soldiers were dead each with a bullet in their head. Then his voice came through a speaker system.

"If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep. Did you really think I wanted more of you?"

"What the hell?"Tony asked.

"I'm grateful to them though, they brought you here." The light came on in a glass chamber. I through my shield at it.

"Please, Captain. The Soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of UR-100 rockets." The man smirked.

"I'm betting I can beat that."Tony replied.

"Oh, I'm sure you could, Mr. Stark. Given time. But then you'll never know why you came." I Grew angrier as we walked closer to him.

"You killed innocent people in Vienna just to bring us here?" I growled.

"I thought about nothing else for over a year. I studied you, I followed you. But now that you are standing here, I just realized... There's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes. How nice to find a flaw."

"You're Sokovian. Is that what this is about?" I asked noticing his accent.

"Sokovia was a failed state long before you blew it to hell. No. I'm here because I made a promise."

"You lost someone that day.

"I lost everyone. And so will you." He said and I turned my attention to a computer screen where a video began to play. It was dated 16 December 1991. "An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumples from within... that's dead ...forever." He said and I then joined Tony watching the video.

"I know that road." Tony said. "What is this?!" He asked the man who only smiled darkly in reply. And then I watched with Tony as Bucky in the mode of the winter soldier caused the deaths of his parents. Tony went to lunge at Bucky but I grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Tony, please don't do this." I begged tears threatening to spill. He looked at me with a look that seemed angry and sad at the same time.

"Did you know?" He asked me.

"I didn't know it was him!"I cried out the tears now spilling freely. He grabbed my arm. Even through my suit I knew there would be a bruise.

"Don't bullshit me Stephanie Grace Rogers! Did you know?!"

"I swear on my life that I only knew it was HYDRA!" This didn't make a difference as he pushed me back to the floor with a repulsor beam. I quickly made my way back up and tried to pull him away from Bucky only to be knocked down again and had cuffs slapped around my legs. I quickly broke them apart with my shield. He was chasing Bucky and I went after him. " It wasn't him, Tony. Hydra had control of his mind!" I shouted out.

"Move!" He shouted.

"It wasn't him!" I said grabbing him by the boot and knocking out the power to it. I climbed up to Bucky. "He's not going to stop you need to get out of here." I said and he just looked at me sadly.

"Not without you Stevie." Bucky said.

"You need to leave me this time." He nodded and continued his climb to the skylight that would let him out. Tony kept going after him and I followed suit. Tony wasn't going to give up. Suddenly he knocked me down to the base level as did Bucky. I looked at Tony. "This won't change anything Tony." I said.

"I don't care." He growled. "He killed my mom!" He said and I kept fighting him but once he knocked me down I saw Bucky get up and crash into him carrying my shield.

"I'm not losing her again!" He shouted pummeling Tony. We fought together as I got back up before Tony knocked me down again. And then Bucky's metal fingers dug into the arc reactor. He was close to ripping it out when Tony fired it up and Bucky's arm was blasted off. I saw the pain on my lover's face. I got up again and taking my shield and running into Tony before using my boxing skills to my advantage. He lost almost all of his tech. Shooting a repulsor at my shield it blasted off. And then pinning him to the wall I began to punch him viciously. When he stopped one of my punches though that was when I got my beating. Blood was dripping from my mouth. I stood in front o f Bucky.

"I won't let you kill him! I love him!"I exclaimed. "I'm not losing him again."

"I loved you too Stevie, but I'll always be second best to him." He said and then punched me again. "Stay down, final warning." He growled through his mask. I hauled myself up from the ground ignoring the pain wracking my body.

"I could do this all day." I replied spitting blood from my mouth to the floor. Bucky then grabbed his foot before getting kicked in the face. It was enough to distract Tony enough for me to pick him up and slam him into the ground. I punched and punched and punched until his mask came off. Then I raised my shield and brought it down onto the Arc Reactor. It was over. I regained my breath and got up ripping the shield from his suit before helping up Bucky.

"That shield does not belong to you. You don't deserve it! My father made that shield!" Tony shouted and I turned around to face him.

"Then have it! I don't want it anymore if this is how I keep it! And as much as Howard would've been disappointed in me today, he would be just as disappointed in you!" I exclaimed and dropped the shield. Bucky and I made our way back to the jet to see T'challa and an unconscious Zemo.

"I owe you an apology Captain, along with your friend." He said.

"I will accept it but first we need a ride out of here." I replied and he nodded. Getting into the jet I felt so weak.

"Take these they'll help you and your soldier sleep." the man said and I nodded. Darkness soon overcame me as I thought of Tony down there. I almost killed him but we were both here and alive. What was going to happen now?


	40. The Letter

Tony's POV

Driving back to the compound a month after the fight with Stephanie I felt myself sadden. The avengers were no more, we were separated half in a jail because of our actions. Rhodey was the best case scenario and he had lost the use of his legs. Today I was helping him out with some braces I had thought up. I looked at Vis as I walked in. He looked so lost without Wanda. But I couldn't think about that at the moment as I helped Rhodey into the braces. He began to walk with a bit of challenge of course. It would take awhile for him to build the strength back up.

"This is just a first test."I explained.

"Yeah."Rhodey replied.

"Give me some feedback. Anything you can think of. Shock absorption. Lateral movement. Cup holder?"

"No, I'm thinking about some AC down there-" Rhodey fell and I went to help him but he refused.

"No, no, don't. Don't help me. Don't help me." He said and I nodded sitting down next to him as he got himself into a sitting position. 138 combat missions. That's how many I've flown, Tony. Every one of them could've been my last, but I flew em. To the fight needed to be fought. It's the same with these Accords. I signed because it was the right thing to do. And, yeah, this sucks. This is... This is a bad beat. But it hasn't changed my mind."

"I wish I could say I was still so sure."I replied.

"Stephanie, she chose her path, and yes you can still care about her but yo can't change that she chose him over you." I nodded. A knock in th edoor behind us brought me out of my thoughts. A fed-ex man was standing there

"Are you Tony "Stank"?"He asked and Rhodey laughed.

"Yes, this is-this is Tony "Stank"! You're in the right place. Thank you for that!" Rhodey laughed then looking at me. "I'm never dropping that, by the way."

"Oh my god." I groaned signing for the box.

"Table for one, Mr. "Stank". Please, by the bathroom."Rhodey walked away and I went into my office to open the box. Inside there was a letter addressed only to me. I recognized Stephanie's handwriting.

'Tony,

I'm glad you're back at the compound. I don't like the idea of you rattling around in a mansion by yourself. We all need family. The Avengers are yours, maybe more so than mine.' I've been on my own since I was 18 and Bucky was the only person I really had. I never really fit in anywhere even in the army. My fate's in people, I guess. Individuals. And, I am happy to say for the most part, they haven't let me down. Which is why I can't let them down either. Lives can be replaced, but, maybe they shouldn't. I know I hurt you, Tony. I guessed I thought by not telling you what I knew about your parents, I was sparing you. But... I can see now that I was really sparing myself. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I hurt you so much. You cna't begin to understand how sorry I felt but I don't regret what I've done. Hopefully one day you can understand. I wished we'd agree on the Accords, I really do. I know you're doing what you believe in. And that's all any of us can do. That's all any of us should.'

the phone ringing brought e away from the letter for a moment.

"Priority call from Secretary Ross. There's been a breach at the RAFT prison."FRIDAY said.

"Yeah, put him through." I replied.

"Tony, we have a problem."Ross groaned.

"Ah, please hold."I said and pressed the button. I turned back to the letter inside there was also a phone and a claddagh ring.

'in this box I leave you one of my most prized possessions my mother's wedding ring. Please hold onto it for me. And know that I loved you too deeply in my heart and it hurt me to choose between the two men who both mean so much to me. I don't know if we'll ever see each other face to face again. But, no matter what. I promise you, if you need us, if you need me, I'll be there.

Love,

Stephanie'

I smiled it was hard to stay angry at the woman who was only doing what she believed was right. Looking at the small silver ring in my hand I knew that I would keep this promise.

* * *

 

Stephanie's POV

Breaking into the raft was not as hard as I thought. Bucky stayed in Wakanda as I felt I needed to do this on my own. T'challa had promised my friends asylum in his country to which I was grateful for. They hadn't doing anything wrong. I knocked out the guards and the security devices before making my way into the cells. I began to unlock them with Clint first.

"How the hell did you get in here undetected?" He asked hugging me tightly.

"A little help here and there, I Can't tell you right now, here are the rest of the keys get the twins while I get Scott and Sam." I said and he nodded. Once Scott and Sam were free I hugged wanda and Piet now free of his shackles and her control collar.

"I'm so sorry you were kept here but I'm getting you out and you're both going to be safe." I said hugging them.

"Thank you большая Сестра." Wanda said almost crying. (Translation: Big sister)

"It's alright не удивительно. We're all going to be safe now." I replied as we ran to the jet. (Little Wonder) "We're all safe now, Clint you're going back to your family the rest of us are going to Wakanda. T'challa has offered us asylum. Bucky's waiting for us there." I said and we flew out of there ass quickly as possible. I dropped off clint Laura giving me a thank you. With a quick hack I learned courtesy of Natasha whilst we were on the run two years prior I was able to remove their files from the RAFT's systems. The only one who knew they were there was Ross and now he only had word of mouth. As we returned I ran into Bucky's arms. Yes he had recieved a new arm courtesy of T'challa.

"I need to talk to you about something Stevie now that everyone's safe." He said and I nodded following him into a private room. What did he possible have to tell me?


	41. Don't Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky wants to go back into cryo. Can Steph stop him?

As Bucky told me what he wanted to do I could've slapped him.

"You want to leave me again?" I asked, he told me he wanted to go back into Cryo. How could he leave me again?

"I can't trust my own mind Stephanie, unless you have an idea of how to get it out I don't have a choice, I won't let someone take control of me again and order me to kill you."

"I know that, please let Wanda try to help you before considering being frozen again. I don't want you to go." He sighed.

"Fine but if she can't I will go under and she can learn more about her power and try again when she's ready. I won't hurt you again not like I did when that man controlled me." His metal fingers brushed against my throat. The place where he had tried to strangle me whilst in winter soldier mode in Berlin.

"I understand, but give her a few days first, she was so frightened when I got her out of that place. For now I just want to spend every moment that I can with you."I said kissing him.

"I understand that too, come on Steph, I'm tired and so are you, let's hit the hay." He said and I nodded. I wasn't letting him go that easily. He held me in his arms tightly almost afraid to let go. I enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms again. Wanda approached me a few days later.

"I want to help you with James. I know I can fix the memories he has." She said and I smiled hugging her.

"Are you sure? Whatever they did at that prison, if you're still weak we can wait, I don't want you to hurt yourself." I replied and it was true. She was in a dark place when I had found her in that prison but finally being able to be in proximity of her brother and being able to be free she was healing.

"I'm positive Stephanie, you have done so much for me I need to do this for you."I finally gave in and walked towards the room I shared with Bucky. He sat on the bed nervous as all hell I suspected.

"Bucky?" I asked and he looked up. "Wanda's going to help you, just like I said she would."

"Thank you Wanda you don't realize what this means to me." He told her and she nodded.

"I want to Stephanie is a sister to me and having you in her life makes her so happy. I will do anything for my big sister." Wanda said and he nodded. "I will be as gentle as possible but you must clear your mind. It may hurt bringing all these memories to light but I can remove the trigger words and anything else you wish."

"I don't care, I just want to be in control again." Bucky said and I sat by them holding his right hand as he laid down on our bed. He closed his eyes and the red mist that accompanied Wanda's magic settled over him. I watched as she worked mending some memories and removing others altogether. Bucky didn't flinch and only had a wince here and there from pain. When Wanda was done he was out like a light.

"He should be up in a few hours, I've done all I can Steph." I nodded as she left the room. I took Bucky's hand in mine and for the first time in awhile since I had known Bucky was alive again I prayed like I was that little girl sitting in church again.

"Hi, I, I know I haven't exactly been the best catholic and I've blamed you for a lot. I'm really sorry about that I just wanted to ask you for one thing. Please, please, let him stay with me. Let whatever Wanda has done work. I don't want to lose him again." I said and said a quick our father before releasing myself from holding Bucky's hands. Still asleep I crawled into the bed and lay with him. Darkness soon enveloped me.

* * *

 

When I woke Bucky was gone.

"Bucky?" I asked. "Bucky?!" I said panicked until he came out of the bathroom.

"What's wrong Stephanie?" He replied taking my face in his hands.

"I thought you had left, I thought that Wanda's powers didn't work. I can't lose you again, I'm sure that I'll go mad if I do." Tears spread down my face. He softly wiped them away.

"I'm here for you doll, I will always be here for you." He replied and began to kiss me. It was soft at first but slowly became dominant his tongue fighting with mine. I pulled him closer leading his hands underneath my shirt for him to pull it off. "Are you sure about this Stevie?"

"You're the only man I've wanted to be with, we can be together now. I'm absolutely sure." I replied and he began working his way down to my shorts pressing kisses all over my upper half. And then after so many years of waiting I was his and he was mine. As we laid down after it felt right. "I love you so much Buck I always will." I said.

"Then will you marry me as soon as you can?" He asked.

"Of course I will." I smiled and he kissed me again. We were together again. Nothing was going to break us apart again. We were more than friends, we had always been. Nothing could change that. Nothing and no one would ever break us apart again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end of this story until the next avengers or captain america comes out. I really hope you liked it!


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